The Colorado Avalanche (19-1-6, 44 points, 1st in Central Division) invade UBS Arena to battle the New York Islanders (14-10-3, 31 points, 4th in Metropolitan Division) in a cross-conference tilt that pits the NHL’s hottest team against a resilient but injury-plagued Isles squad. Colorado, riding an NHL-record 19-game point streak (18-0-1 since Oct. 25), boasts the league’s top offense (3.92 GPG) and looks to extend their dominance behind Nathan MacKinnon’s MVP-caliber surge. The Islanders, fresh off snapping a three-game skid with a gritty 2-1 upset of Tampa Bay, lean on Ilya Sorokin’s wall-like goaltending but face a monumental challenge without key forwards like Kyle Palmieri (torn ACL). The Avs enter as heavy road favorites in a matchup projected for moderate scoring, where Colorado’s speed could overwhelm New York’s depleted blue line—though the Isles’ home desperation adds upset potential in this early playoff litmus test.
Venue and Game Details
Location: UBS Arena, Elmont, New York (Capacity: 17,250; Opened in 2021, the Islanders’ state-of-the-art home features a raucous atmosphere and a tight-checking ice sheet that favors trap defenses).
Puckdrop: 7:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. PT for West Coast fans).
Broadcast: ESPN+ (streaming); Local via MSG Networks (Islanders) and Altitude TV (Avalanche).
Team Records and Standings Snapshot
| Team | Record | Points | GF/GA | Home/Away | Power Play/PK | Recent Notes |
| Colorado Avalanche | 19-1-6 | 44 | 98/59 (+39) | 10-0-3 Home / 9-1-3 Away | 28.6% / 85.7% | Dominant attack (3.92 GPG, 1st); elite road form (9-1-3, +25 GD); perfect 10-0-1 at home but tested away. |
| New York Islanders | 14-10-3 | 31 | 72/70 (+2) | 6-6-2 Home / 8-4-1 Away | 18.5% / 82.1% | Balanced but fragile (2.77 GPG, 17th; 2.69 GAA, 12th); strong road (8-4-1) but home inconsistencies amid injuries. |
Colorado leads the Presidents’ Trophy race by seven points over Dallas (17-5-5); the Islanders hold a wild-card spot but trail Carolina (16-7-2) by five in the Metro, needing points to fend off the pack.
ecent Team Forms
Colorado’s point streak masks a rare SO loss but showcases depth; the Islanders’ win over TBL halted a slide but exposed forward shortages. Last five games (late November/early December 2025):
Colorado Avalanche (4-0-1 in last 5; 4.6 GPG / 2.0 GAA):
Dec. 2: W 3-1 vs. Vancouver Canucks (Home; MacKinnon’s 2G; Blackwood 28 saves).
Nov. 29: W 7-2 vs. Montreal Canadiens (Home; Necas’ 3A fuels rout).
Nov. 26: W 4-1 vs. San Jose Sharks (Home; Lehkonen’s GWG).
Nov. 23: W 5-3 vs. Chicago Blackhawks (Home; Makar’s 2A).
Nov. 21: L 2-1 (SO) @ Minnesota Wild (Away; Rare regulation unbeaten ender).
Trend: Avalanche 4-0-1 SU in last five, outscoring foes 23-10. Unbeaten in regulation for 19 straight (18-0-1); 10-0-1 at home with +32 GD. Goaltending tandem shines (.935 SV% in wins); PP at 35% in streak.
New York Islanders (2-3-0 in last 5; 2.0 GPG / 2.8 GAA):
Dec. 2: W 2-1 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (Home; Horvat/Duclair score; Sorokin 28 saves ends 7-game TBL streak).
Nov. 30: L 4-1 vs. Washington Capitals (Home; Defensive lapses doom rally).
Nov. 28: L 3-2 (SO) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (Home; Palmieri injured in loss).
Nov. 26: L 3-2 vs. Boston Bruins (Home; Barzal’s late goal not enough).
Nov. 23: W 4-3 (SO) @ Seattle Kraken (Away; Horvat’s SO winner).
Trend: Islanders 2-3 SU in last five, outscored 13-10. 1-3-1 in last five home games; snapped three-game skid (0-2-1) vs. TBL. Sorokin’s .920 SV% anchors wins; injuries limit offense to 1.8 GPG in losses.
Injury Report
Colorado’s depth weathers a goalie tweak, but the Islanders’ forward corps is gutted by season-altering hits. Updates as of Dec. 3:
Colorado Avalanche:
| Player | Position | Injury | Status | Est. Return |
| Scott Wedgewood | G | Upper Body (Back Tightness) | Day-to-Day | Dec. 4 (Game-time; precautionary exit vs. VAN) |
| Gavin Brindley | C | Lower Body | Out | Dec. 13+ |
| Logan O’Connor | RW | Hip | IR | Dec. 13+ |
Impact: Wedgewood (13-4-2, .921 SV%, 2.08 GAA) backup role in jeopardy; recall of Trent Miner bolsters crease. Forward depth intact, but Brindley/O’Connor absences thin bottom-six energy.
New York Islanders:
| Player | Position | Injury | Status | Est. Return |
| Kyle Palmieri | RW | Knee (Torn ACL) | IR (Surgery) | Sep. 2026 (6-8 months) |
| Alexander Romanov | D | Upper Body (Shoulder Surgery) | IR-LT | May 2026 (5-6 months) |
| Jean-Gabriel Pageau | C | Upper Body | Out | Dec. 19 |
| Pierre Engvall | LW | Ankle | IR-LT | Indefinite |
| Ethan Bear | D | Undisclosed | IR | Dec. 30+ |
Impact: Palmieri (6G-12A) out for season craters top-six scoring (team -0.8 GPG without him); Romanov/Pageau absences force Barzal/Horvat to 22+ min. Depth calls from Bridgeport add grit but no pop.
Key Player Matchups
Colorado’s stars vs. Isles’ survivors— these could exploit NYI’s thin lines:
Nathan MacKinnon (Avalanche C, 20G-24A) vs. Bo Horvat (Islanders C, 15G-11A): MacKinnon’s blistering pace (1.76 Pts/G, league lead) tests Horvat’s two-way game (59% FO). Edge: MacKinnon—44P pace; 3G in last NYI visit.
Cale Makar (Avalanche D, 9G-23A) vs. Mathew Barzal (Islanders C, 7G-11A): Makar’s QBing (25+ min) clashes with Barzal’s elusiveness (35% FO but 11.3% SOG). Edge: Makar—32P; +29 rating dominates transitions.
Mackenzie Blackwood (Avalanche G, .935 SV% in streak) vs. Ilya Sorokin (Islanders G, .920 SV%, 2.69 GAA): Blackwood’s relief heroics (28 saves vs. VAN) vs. Sorokin’s home shutdown (8-3-1, .925 SV%). Edge: Sorokin—28 saves in TBL win; faces 32 SOG projection.
Artturi Lehkonen (Avalanche LW, 9G-15A) vs. Anders Lee (Islanders LW, 10G-6A): Lehkonen’s net-front presence (+25) meets Lee’s grit (20% SOG). Edge: Lehkonen—24P; 2G in recent streak.
Series History
The series is razor-close historically, with Colorado holding a slight recent edge amid high-scoring affairs:
All-Time Regular Season: Avalanche 46-45-4-1 (50.5% win rate); Teams split goals 331-340 in 96 meetings.
All-Time Overall (incl. Playoffs): Avalanche 47-49-4 (49%); NYI swept 1982 ECF (4-0, as Quebec Nordiques then).
Last 10 Meetings: Avalanche 6-4-0 (most recent: COL 4-1 win on Nov. 16, 2025, at NYI). COL 3-2 SU in last 5 road vs. NYI.
Trends: Avalanche 5-2 SU in last 7 vs. Metro; Games average 6.2 goals (Over in 6/10). Islanders 4-6 SU in last 10 home vs. Central.
Betting
Avs 9-1 SU as road faves; NYI 3-7 O/U at home.
Game Odds
Colorado Avalanche – 185
New York Islanders 6
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Wednesday, December 3, 2025
