The New York Islanders travel to Ohio for a Metropolitan Division matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets in a contest that pits a surging Islanders squad against a Blue Jackets team looking to build momentum after a recent win. The Islanders enter on a two-game winning streak, while the Blue Jackets snapped a two-game skid but remain inconsistent. This is the second meeting of the 2025-26 season, with the Islanders winning the first 3-2 on November 2 at home.
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Venue
Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH
Puckdrop is set for 5:00 PM ET (2:00 PM PT)
TV Broadcast: ESPN+ (national), MSG (Islanders feed), Bally Sports Ohio (Blue Jackets feed)
Doors open approximately 90 minutes before puck drop.
The Islanders’ 46 points reflect strong defensive play (2.70 GAA, 10th in NHL) and timely scoring, while the Blue Jackets’ 36 points highlight offensive potential (2.89 GPG) but defensive struggles (3.44 GAA, bottom-10).
Recent Team Forms
The Islanders are heating up with back-to-back shutout and one-goal wins, while the Blue Jackets show flashes but lack consistency.
New York Islanders: The Islanders have won two straight, including a 2-0 shutout over the New York Rangers on December 27 (David Rittich 26 saves) and a 2-1 comeback over the New Jersey Devils on December 23 (Adam Pelech game-winner). They’re 3-2-0 in their last five, with earlier losses like a 3-2 shootout to the Buffalo Sabres on December 20 and a 4-1 defeat to the Vancouver Canucks on December 19. December form is strong at 7-2-1, averaging 3.0 goals per game while allowing 2.4. Road form is 9-6-3, with 4-2-1 in their last seven away games.
Columbus Blue Jackets: The Blue Jackets snapped a two-game losing streak with a 3-1 home win over the Los Angeles Kings on December 22 (Mason Marchment two goals), but they’re 2-3-0 in their last five. Losses include a 4-3 defeat to the Anaheim Ducks on December 20 and a 5-2 setback against the Minnesota Wild on December 18. December form is 4-5-1, averaging 2.8 goals per game while allowing 3.5. Home form is 9-7-3, but they’ve dropped three of their last five at Nationwide Arena.
Injury Report
Injuries impact both teams’ depth, particularly goaltending for the Islanders and defense for the Blue Jackets.
New York Islanders:
Ilya Sorokin (lower body/undisclosed): IR, retroactive to December 20; expected back soon but out for this game.
Kyle Palmieri (knee): IR, out indefinitely; 12 goals missed.
Semyon Varlamov (undisclosed): Out.
Ethan Bear (undisclosed): Out.
Pierre Engvall (undisclosed): Out.
Alexander Romanov (upper body): Questionable, day-to-day.
The Islanders rely on David Rittich in net and forwards like Bo Horvat (recently returned) to fill gaps.
Columbus Blue Jackets:
Zach Werenski (lower body): Doubtful, day-to-day after blocking a shot; leads team with 14 goals.
Mathieu Olivier (upper body): IR, expected out until at least December 28.
Boone Jenner (shoulder): LTIR, long-term.
Erik Gudbranson (shoulder): LTIR.
The Blue Jackets miss Werenski’s offense from the blue line, forcing reliance on Ivan Provorov and forwards like Sean Monahan.
Key Player Matchups
With defensive injuries on both sides, offensive stars and goaltending will be pivotal. Focus on high-skill forwards and makeshift blue lines.
Mathew Barzal (NYI) vs. Sean Monahan (CBJ): Barzal (team-leading points, recent goal and assist vs. Rangers) drives the Islanders’ transition with speed and playmaking. Monahan (two goals vs. Devils earlier) anchors Columbus’ center depth; his faceoff prowess (over 55%) could neutralize Barzal’s zone entries—slight edge to Barzal on the road.
Bo Horvat (NYI) vs. Adam Fantilli (CBJ): Horvat (recently back from injury, two goals vs. Vegas) brings physicality and scoring (15+ goals). Fantilli (95 shots, emerging star) matches with youth and shot volume; this second-line battle could dictate secondary scoring.
David Rittich (NYI) vs. Jet Greaves/Elvis Merzlikins (CBJ): Rittich (two straight wins, .940 SV% recently) steps up sans Sorokin. Greaves (23 saves vs. Kings) or Merzlikins (recent struggles) face pressure; Islanders’ defense gives Rittich the edge.
Anders Lee (NYI) vs. Ivan Provorov (CBJ): Lee (net-front presence, goal vs. Rangers) exploits mismatches. Provorov steps up without Werenski, but Lee’s physicality could overwhelm in the slot.
If Werenski plays, his matchup with Barzal becomes must-watch for offensive fireworks.
Series History
The Islanders hold a slight all-time edge at 30-18-1-9 against the Blue Jackets in 58 regular-season meetings. At Nationwide Arena, Columbus is 18-7-1-4. Recently, the home team has dominated, going 10-3-1 in the last 14 games. The Islanders are 6-4-0 in their last 10 vs. Columbus, including this season’s 3-2 win (Matthew Schaefer two goals). Games often feature under the total, with 7 of the last 10 below 6.5 goals.
Betting Trends
Spread: Islanders are 6-4 ATS in last 10 road games; Blue Jackets 4-6 ATS at home lately.
Over/Under: Trends favor under: 4 of Islanders’ last 5 under, 3 of Blue Jackets’ last 5 under. Series history shows under in 7 of last 10.
Other Trends: Islanders 7-3 ATS as underdogs; Blue Jackets 5-5 in last 10 vs. Metro foes. Player props: Barzal over 0.5 points (-150) strong; Marchment over 2.5 shots (+110) if hot streak continues.
Books imply a close Blue Jackets win, like 3-2.
Game Odds
New York Islanders 6.5
Columbus Blue Jackets – 120
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Saturday, December 27, 2025
