Schedule / Matchup Preview

New York Islanders vs Chicago Blackhawks · Matchup Preview Based on 26-27 form — rosters current

Season 26-27
Matchup Preview vs Blackhawks · THU · OCT 8 · 6:30 PM CT ← Back to schedule
Upcoming
THU · OCT 8 · 6:30 PM CT
UBS Arena
MSGSN · CHSN
New York Islanders
Islanders
1–1–0
VS
Chicago Blackhawks
Blackhawks
0–3–0
Upcoming
THU · OCT 8 · 6:30 PM CT
MSGSN · CHSN
New York Islanders
Home · Islanders
1–1–0
2 PTS
VS
Puck Drop In
The read
Simon Holmstrom has quietly owned this matchup, 6 points in the last 4 meetings.
UBS Arena
Chicago Blackhawks
Away · Blackhawks
0–3–0
0 PTS
Islanders
GOALIES
Blackhawks
Ilya Sorokin
Ilya Sorokin
Expected
.968 SV% · 1.02 GAA · 1W
.884 SV% L5 · Cooling
VS
Spencer Knight
Spencer Knight
Expected
.875 SV% · 4.04 GAA · 0W
.824 SV% L5 · Cooling
Islanders
PROJECTED TOP LINES
Blackhawks
L1
Emil Heineman · Bo Horvat · Kyle Palmieri
L1
Roman Kantserov · Frank Nazar · Patrick Kane
L2
Victor Eklund · Calum Ritchie · Brayden Schenn
L2
Tyler Bertuzzi · Anton Frondell · Teuvo Teravainen
L3
Simon Holmstrom · Jean-Gabriel Pageau · Anthony Duclair
L3
Ryan Donato · Oliver Moore · Nick Lardis
L4
Ondrej Palat · Casey Cizikas · Matias Maccelli
L4
Cole Smith · Ryan Greene · Jordan Greenway
D1
Adam Pelech · Matthew Schaefer
D1
Alex Vlasic · Ian Cole
D2
Alexander Romanov · Ryan Pulock
D2
Wyatt Kaiser · Artyom Levshunov
D3
Logan Stanley · Tony DeAngelo
D3
Kevin Korchinski · Ethan Del Mastro
PP1
Kyle Palmieri · Bo Horvat · Brayden Schenn · Matias Maccelli · Matthew Schaefer
PP1
Tyler Bertuzzi · Roman Kantserov · Frank Nazar · Patrick Kane · Artyom Levshunov
PP2
Victor Eklund · Anthony Duclair · Emil Heineman · Calum Ritchie · Tony DeAngelo
PP2
Ryan Donato · Anton Frondell · Nick Lardis · Oliver Moore · Kevin Korchinski
PK1
Jean-Gabriel Pageau · Simon Holmstrom · Adam Pelech · Ryan Pulock
PK1
Oliver Moore · Cole Smith · Alex Vlasic · Ian Cole
PK2
Bo Horvat · Kyle Palmieri · Logan Stanley · Alexander Romanov
PK2
Frank Nazar · Jordan Greenway · Wyatt Kaiser · Artyom Levshunov
IslandersProjected lines
L1
Emil Heineman · Bo Horvat · Kyle Palmieri
L2
Victor Eklund · Calum Ritchie · Brayden Schenn
L3
Simon Holmstrom · Jean-Gabriel Pageau · Anthony Duclair
L4
Ondrej Palat · Casey Cizikas · Matias Maccelli
D1
Adam Pelech · Matthew Schaefer
D2
Alexander Romanov · Ryan Pulock
D3
Logan Stanley · Tony DeAngelo
PP1
Kyle Palmieri · Bo Horvat · Brayden Schenn · Matias Maccelli · Matthew Schaefer
PP2
Victor Eklund · Anthony Duclair · Emil Heineman · Calum Ritchie · Tony DeAngelo
PK1
Jean-Gabriel Pageau · Simon Holmstrom · Adam Pelech · Ryan Pulock
PK2
Bo Horvat · Kyle Palmieri · Logan Stanley · Alexander Romanov
BlackhawksProjected lines
L1
Roman Kantserov · Frank Nazar · Patrick Kane
L2
Tyler Bertuzzi · Anton Frondell · Teuvo Teravainen
L3
Ryan Donato · Oliver Moore · Nick Lardis
L4
Cole Smith · Ryan Greene · Jordan Greenway
D1
Alex Vlasic · Ian Cole
D2
Wyatt Kaiser · Artyom Levshunov
D3
Kevin Korchinski · Ethan Del Mastro
PP1
Tyler Bertuzzi · Roman Kantserov · Frank Nazar · Patrick Kane · Artyom Levshunov
PP2
Ryan Donato · Anton Frondell · Nick Lardis · Oliver Moore · Kevin Korchinski
PK1
Oliver Moore · Cole Smith · Alex Vlasic · Ian Cole
PK2
Frank Nazar · Jordan Greenway · Wyatt Kaiser · Artyom Levshunov
Ethan Sears · Oct 3 · 9:31 AM CT Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:05 AM CT
Islanders
INJURY REPORT
Blackhawks
Mathew Barzal
IR · Knee · Expected back Oct 10
Bowen Byram
OUT · Personal · Expected back Oct 6
Andrew Mangiapane
OUT · Lower body · Expected back Oct 6
Connor Bedard
IR · Shoulder · Expected back Nov 7
IslandersInjury report
Mathew Barzal
IR · Knee · Expected back Oct 10
BlackhawksInjury report
Bowen Byram
OUT · Personal · Expected back Oct 6
Andrew Mangiapane
OUT · Lower body · Expected back Oct 6
Connor Bedard
IR · Shoulder · Expected back Nov 7
Ethan Sears · Oct 3 · 9:31 AM CT Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:05 AM CT
STORYLINE
The Islanders won their last game and are 1-1-0 in their first 2 games. The Blackhawks have dropped 3 straight and are 0-3-0 in their first 3 games.

Matchup Intel

Simon Holmstrom has quietly owned this matchup, 6 points in the last 4 meetings.

A milestone is in reach for Vitek Vanecek: 1 more win for 200 career wins.

The numbers behind it
Player
Simon Holmstrom has 6 points in his last 4 games against Chicago. See the games →
(New York)
6 pts, last 4 vs CHI
Player
Alex Vlasic has 5 points in his last 4 games against New York. See the games →
(Chicago)
5 pts, last 4 vs NYI
Milestone
Vitek Vanecek is 1 win shy of 200 career wins.
199 career wins