New York Islanders vs Columbus Blue Jackets Prediction, Odds and Picks for Today, 02/28/26

The New York Islanders and Columbus Blue Jackets hit the ice as part of a jam-packed Saturday in the NHL. These Metropolitan Division teams have met twice this season, with each winning 1 game. Who will win the third of four? Here is our Islanders vs Blue Jackets prediction to help find out.

New York came out of the Olympic break by taking down an impressive Montreal Canadiens team and has won 3 straight overall. Prior to the break the Blue Jackets were red hot, but they are now coming off a regulation loss to the Boston Bruins. Columbus scores at a higher pace than New York, but there is a major difference in defending and goaltending that I think will tell the tale in this one. New York has heavily focused on defensive play for years, and the same is a major factor this season, with the third-best goals against average (2.71). This comes from a combination of an elite goaltending tandem (Ilya Sorokin and David Rittich) who have combined for the NHL’s third-best save percentage (.909), as well as a mature structure that focuses on committee. While the Jackets do have some strong pieces on their roster, I don’t believe they have enough firepower overall and will likely feel smothered. New York has also thrived on the road this season (16-11-3). For this Islanders vs Blue Jackets prediction, I’m going with New York as the road underdog.

Islanders vs Blue Jackets prediction: New York ML (+110) available at time of publishing. Playable to -110.

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