Mathew Barzal, Josh Bailey, and the New York Islanders will face off against Pierre-Luc Dubois, Gustav Nyquist, and the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena for a Metropolitan Division showdown. The first puck drops at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 19, and it’s being televised live on MSG Network.
New York Islanders vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Odds
This matchup’s moneyline and Over/Under odds have not been posted by oddsmakers yet.
New York is 4-3 straight up (SU) and has earned 0.5 units for moneyline bettors this season. That winning percentage, ranked third in the Metropolitan Division so far this season, is a drop-off from the 48-34 record that the team posted during the 2018-19 season campaign. Through seven regular season outings, five of its games have gone under the total, while two have gone over and none have pushed. This 2019-20 Islanders team is 1-1 SU on the road.
The Islanders have impressively found the net on 36.4 percent of their power play chances so far. That’s a noticeable improvement from last season, when they were ranked 29th in the NHL by scoring on 15.1 percent of their extra-man chances. Their penalty kill has fallen off drastically, however, as they’ve gone from successfully defending 80.7 percent of all opponent power plays (ranked 13th overall last season) to 72.2 percent this year..
Averaging 24.5 saves per game with a .925 save percentage, Thomas Greiss (2-2) has been the best option in goal for New York this year. If head coach Barry Trotz decides to rest him, however, the team could turn to Semyon Varlamov (2-2), who has a .923 save percentage and 2.54 goals against average this year.
Columbus is 3-4 straight up (SU) and has earned 0.3 units for moneyline bettors this year. Four of its matches have gone under the total, while two have gone over and none have pushed. This season, the team’s 2-2 SU as the home team.
The Blue Jackets have killed off a remarkable 73.9 percent of all penalties, a few points off from the 84.9 percent they posted a year ago (when they were ranked second overall). They’ve converted on 13.6 percent of their power plays this year after scoring on 16.7 percent (ranked 25th in league) last season.
Joonas Korpisalo (24.2 saves per game) has been the top choice in goal for the Blue Jackets. Korpisalo has three wins and two losses to his name and has registered a subpar .903 save percentage and 2.60 goals against average this season.
New York Islanders at Columbus Blue Jackets Free Picks
Prediction: SU Winner – Blue Jackets, O/U – Over
Betting Trends
- After registering a 5-5 record in games decided by a shootout last season, the Islanders are off to a 1-0 start in shootouts this year. The Blue Jackets went 2-1 in shootouts last year and has yet to participate in one this time around.
- For both of these clubs, the under has hit in three of their past five outings.
- New York has managed 22.5 shot attempts per game over its last five road games while Columbus has been attempting 33.8 shots per game over its last five at home.
- Columbus has yet to win a game by two more more goals this season.
- New York skaters created 26.2 hits per game last season, while the Blue Jackets accounted for 23.0 hits per contest.
