The UBS Arena is set for an intriguing matchup as the New York Islanders look to build on their recent momentum following a hard-fought 4-3 victory over the Canadiens, while the Blue Jackets aim to bounce back from a frustrating 1-0 shutout loss to the Panthers.
Both teams find themselves in remarkably similar positions - the Islanders sitting at 32-28-8 and the Blue Jackets at 31-28-9 - though their offensive approaches couldn't be more different, with Columbus converting an impressive 11% of their shots compared to New York's 9.34% success rate.
The New York Islanders welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets to Elmont with Ilya Sorokin likely squaring off against Daniil Tarasov in what promises to be a compelling goaltending duel.
New York Islanders vs. Columbus Blue Jackets prediction: who will win?
For tonight's New York Islanders vs Columbus Blue Jackets matchup, our predictive model gives the Jackets a 54.5% chance of defeating the Isles.
Pre-game probabilities
Columbus Blue Jackets
Moneyline
Win %
54.5%
45.5%
New York Islanders
Columbus Blue Jackets: 54.5% win probability
- Superior offensive output (221 goals scored vs Islanders' 190)
- Better points accumulation (71 points in 69 games vs Islanders' 73 in 69)
- More consistent scoring rate (3.2 goals per game vs Islanders' 2.75)
New York Islanders: 45.5% win probability
- Struggling offense (190 goals scored, 10th lowest in Eastern Conference)
- Poor recent form (LWWWL in last 5 games)
- Defensive vulnerabilities (205 goals against, worse than conference average)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model combines insights from top NHL experts. Instead of sifting through hundreds of expert analyses across the web, you can rely on our predictions to understand the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing predictions, data, and opinions, and our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. We then average these levels to produce an 'expert opinion' win probability—reflecting the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NHL experts..
| New York Islanders | Columbus Blue Jackets | |
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| Moneyline |
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New York Islanders vs. Columbus Blue Jackets preview
The struggling Columbus Blue Jackets head to UBS Arena looking to bounce back from a frustrating 1-0 shutout loss to the Panthers, where they couldn't convert any of their 25 shots on goal.
While the Blue Jackets' offense has been decent this season with 214 goals (11th in NHL), their defensive woes continue as netminder Daniil Tarasov faces mounting pressure with an .899 save percentage.
The Islanders, fresh off a 4-3 victory against the Canadiens, have found their scoring touch lately - though they'll need to clean up their penalty kill, which sits at a concerning 71.52%.
Keep an eye on Isles' goaltender Ilya Sorokin, who's been a bright spot with an impressive .916 career save percentage and 160 quality starts under his belt.
Both teams are neck-and-neck in the standings with the Islanders at 72 points and the Blue Jackets at 71, making this Metropolitan Division clash particularly spicy.
The Blue Jackets' power play could be the x-factor tonight - they've converted 19% of their chances this season, while the Islanders have struggled with special teams.
This matchup has all the makings of a classic goaltender duel between Sorokin and Tarasov, with both teams desperate to improve their playoff positioning.
Given the Isles' home-ice advantage and recent momentum, they might just have the edge in what should be a tight, low-scoring affair at UBS Arena.
New York Islanders vs. Columbus Blue Jackets form
New York Islanders vs. Columbus Blue Jackets head to head
New York Islanders
67%
Columbus Blue Jackets
33%
Jan 21, 2025
New York Islanders
3 : 1
Columbus Blue Jackets
Oct 30, 2024
Columbus Blue Jackets
2 : 0
New York Islanders
Apr 4, 2024
Columbus Blue Jackets
2 : 4
New York Islanders
Dec 8, 2023
New York Islanders
7 : 3
Columbus Blue Jackets
Oct 28, 2023
Columbus Blue Jackets
0 : 2
New York Islanders
Mar 24, 2023
Columbus Blue Jackets
5 : 4
New York Islanders
