New York Islanders vs Chicago Blackhawks: Odds, Spread, and Total
Sunday’s brawl of a game between the New York Islanders and Columbus Blue Jackets showed what a tight race can be found in the Eastern Conference. Columbus has 16 wins…
Sunday's brawl of a game between the New York Islanders and Columbus Blue Jackets showed what a tight race can be found in the Eastern Conference. Columbus has 16 wins but remains another opponent that's desperate in a race involving nine teams with 20-plus victories. The Islanders will try to solidify their second-place divisional standing against the host Chicago Blackhawks at 8:30 p.m. EST this Tuesday.
The Islanders can claim to have earned points in three straight contests prior to falling 4-2 in Ohio. It can't be said that the Blackhawks are faring as well, given that Chicago is on its worst downturn of the season thus far. Tyler Bertuzzi's team has lost seven of eight games to fall back into the Central Division cellar.
Chicago's young sensation Connor Bedard is injured, leaving the Blackhawks without enough scoring to overcome the inconsistent checking, which helped lead to Pittsburgh's 7-3 Sunday win in the Windy City. Sportsbooks will still keep their betting odds tight for Tuesday, given how gassed the Isles seem to be.
Spread
- Islanders -1.5 (+178)
- Blackhawks +1.5 (-223)
Money line
- Islanders -133
- Blackhawks +127
Total
- Over 5.5 (-122)
- Under 5.5 (+100)
Note: The above data was collected on Dec. 30, 2025, and may have changed since writing.
New York Islanders vs Chicago Blackhawks Betting Trends
- The New York Islanders have dropped their last four road games.
- The Chicago Blackhawks are just 1-7 in their last eight contests.
- Chicago is 2-5 against the puck line in its last seven games.
New York Islanders vs Chicago Blackhawks Injury Reports
New York Islanders
- Goalie Ilya Sorokin is questionable with a lower body injury.
- Goalie Semyon Varlamov is on the injured reserve with a knee injury.
- Right winger Kyle Palmieri is out for the season with a knee injury.
- Defenseman Alexander Romanov is out for the season with a shoulder injury.
- Left winger Pierre Engvall is out for the season with an ankle injury.
Chicago Blackhawks
- Center Frank Nazar is on the injured reserve with an upper body injury.
- Center Connor Bedard is on the injured reserve with an upper body injury.
- Defenseman Shea Weber is out for the season with an ankle injury.
New York Islanders vs Chicago Blackhawks Predictions and Picks
Head coach Patrick Roy's protest that the Islanders were tired compared to the well-rested Blue Jackets holds more water than a typical HC's alibi since the Isles held a second intermission lead over the Jackets, and because New York is going through injury woes just as its schedule gets so busy.
Roy is ready to press netminder Ilya Sorokin back into action this week, although the Russian standout has hit a rough patch at age 30. New York's skipper "dropped the practice plan" for Sorokin, according to Christopher Hennessy from ClutchPoints, which sounds scary, but it actually means that Sorokin could reascend to the starting lineup faster. Sorokin was on injured reserve but becomes eligible Tuesday.
Gamblers will see each team's goaltending issues and pick the over-total-goals bet too often. Islanders forward Mathew Barzal is stick-squeezing with zero points in three games, and totals have gone under in three of the Blackhawks' last four games on home ice. The low side of the Over/Under is a smart wager.
