The New York Islanders host the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night at UBS Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:30 PM ET. Both teams are still in the playoff hunt as they fight for wild card spots in their respective conferences.
The Islanders are 32-28-10 with 74 points, while the Canucks are 33-26-12 with 78 points. This is the second meeting of the season. The Islanders won the last game 5-2 back in November. Vancouver played Tuesday and beat New Jersey 4-3 in a shootout, while the Islanders lost 4-3 in overtime to Columbus on Monday.
Islanders Preview – Looking to Hold Ground at Home
New York has dropped three of its last five games. They sit just outside the Eastern Conference playoff line. With only a few weeks left in the season, every point matters for this group. They are 17-13-5 at home this year.
The Islanders are still without top center Mathew Barzal, who has been out since February with a kneecap injury. They also traded Brock Nelson earlier this month, thinning their forward depth. Bo Horvat and Kyle Palmieri now lead the top lines.
Goaltender Ilya Sorokin remains the starter with Semyon Varlamov out for the season. The Isles rank in the middle of the league in scoring and shots allowed. Their defense is still strong, but they’ve struggled to close games late in the third period.
Canucks Preview – Road-Weary Team Still Battling
Vancouver is finishing up a long six-game road trip. They’ve gone 2-2-1 so far and pulled out a much-needed shootout win over the Devils on Tuesday. Jake DeBrusk and Jonathan Lekkerimaki scored in the shootout, and Thatcher Demko returned from injury to make 22 saves.
The Canucks are without top forward Elias Pettersson and winger Nils Hoglander, both of whom are out for the rest of the trip. Filip Chytil is also dealing with a concussion. That has pushed younger players like Aatu Raty and Lekkerimaki into bigger roles up front.
Vancouver ranks 25th in goals per game but has scored 10 goals over its last three contests. Their power play has been solid, converting on 22% of their chances. Backup goalie Kevin Lankinen may start with Demko coming off a start the night before.
Stat Comparison and Trends
Vancouver has a +3 goal differential on the road and ranks slightly ahead of the Islanders in offense. The Canucks average 2.79 goals per game compared to 2.75 for New York. Both teams allow just under three goals per game.
The Islanders are 23-19 at home on the moneyline, while the Canucks are 18-18 on the road. The over has hit in 9 of the last 10 meetings between these teams. Vancouver has gone over the total in four straight games.
Betting Prediction
This is a tight matchup with both teams dealing with injuries. Vancouver has more scoring depth, but they are on the second night of a back-to-back and may go with their backup goalie. New York is more rested and has been solid at home.
Expect a low-scoring game with tight checking. The Islanders should take advantage of Vancouver’s travel and short bench. Look for a final score around 3-2 in favor of the Islanders, who will try to control the pace from the start.
Pick: Islanders -125
