Islanders vs Blue Jackets

The Islanders ride a two-game winning streak after beating the Devils and shutting out the Rangers, while the Blue Jackets enter with a modest one-game win streak following their 3-1 road victory in Los Angeles and a five-day layoff. Significant injuries cut both ways: New York is missing Ilya Sorokin, Kyle Palmieri, and Alexander Romanov, so David Rittich should start again behind a blue line missing two key regulars, whereas Columbus is dealing with Zach Werenski’s lower-body injury and forward depth issues even as its roster sheet on ESPN confirms a healthy core of Adam Fantilli, Boone Jenner, Kirill Marchenko, and Sean Monahan. Historically, Mathew Barzal and Horvat have carved up Columbus with strong point-per-game production, while Fantilli and Marchenko have already burned the Islanders in recent matchups, making this a battle of top-end skill. With the Islanders owning the better overall record and defensive metrics but facing a road back-to-back and a rested opponent, I still see plus-money value on their superior top-six and structured team game to grind out a close win, but the schedule spot and goaltending depth risk keep this at a B+ confidence rather than an A-level hammer. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 28/12/2025 09:25.

Both teams’ recent trends and current personnel nudge this total toward the Under, even with Columbus showing a punchy attack: the Islanders are coming off consecutive 2-1 and 2-0 wins and have leaned heavily on structure in front of Rittich during Sorokin’s absence, while the Blue Jackets just played a controlled 3-1 game in Los Angeles before the break. Injuries matter for pace and finishing talent: New York losing Romanov and Palmieri pulls some transition and scoring punch out of the lineup, and Werenski’s injury for Columbus removes their best puck-moving defenseman and power-play quarterback, which can bog down clean exits and controlled entries on both sides. Player history also points to concentrated—but not necessarily explosive—production: Barzal and Horvat have consistently put up points against the Jackets, while Fantilli has already had big nights against the Isles, suggesting a few quality chances from top lines but not necessarily a track meet given league-average team scoring rates and a Blue Jackets group shaking off rust after several days off. Factor in the Islanders’ willingness to win low-event road games and Columbus’ inconsistent finishing, and I’m grading Under 5.5 at B: solid edge with nice plus money, but with some risk if special teams or defensive lapses turn this into a whistle-filled, power-play-driven night. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 28/12/2025 09:25.

Given the matchup dynamics, the Islanders +1.5 puckline profiles as the safest way to back New York: they’ve just won two straight tight games, and even their recent losses have mostly been by a single goal, while Columbus has struggled to separate on the scoreboard despite improved play, with their last handful of outings decided by one or two goals. Injury-wise, the Isles’ absences (Sorokin, Romanov, Palmieri) are already priced into the market, but Rittich’s strong run in relief and a deep forward group confirmed on the ESPN roster page—built around Barzal, Horvat, and Anders Lee—still make them difficult to blow out, whereas the Werenski injury undercuts the Jackets’ ability to drive play and finish from the back end. Historically, Barzal and Horvat have produced well against Columbus and help keep New York in games even when they’re chasing, while Fantilli and Marchenko’s success vs the Isles threatens, but doesn’t guarantee, a multi-goal home win, especially with the Jackets’ uneven results and high goals-against figure. With the better overall team catching a goal and a half in what projects as another close Metro grinder, I’m grading Islanders +1.5 at A-: very high probability of cashing but at the cost of paying steep juice that slightly drags down the value grade. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 28/12/2025 09:25.