Game Preview: Third-Period Strugglers Unite As Blue Jackets, Islanders Face Off In New York

NEW YORK ISLANDERS
10-7-7 (27 pts; .563%) ROSTER SCHEDULE
7:30 P.M. – THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7 UBS ARENA ELMONT, NY
TELEVISION: Bally Sports Ohio ESPN+ Power Play
ODDS & PROJECTIONS:
ODDS OF CBJ WIN PER MONEYPUCK: 48%
PLAYOFF ODDS PER MONEYPUCK:  Islanders: 34% Blue Jackets: 7%
TIPICO SPORTSBOOK: CBJ +170

Before the third period of Tuesday's game against the Los Angeles Kings began, I asked my usher if the Columbus Blue Jackets had it in them to keep their three-goal lead.

"I'd feel a lot better with one or two more," he said.

Insurance was one thing, but two more goals to feel safe with a 3-0 lead in the third period? No, even this version of the Blue Jackets wouldn't squander that lead — especially at home.

Oops.

The eventual 4-3 overtime loss at the hands of Los Angeles was one of the more stinging defeats in a season of stinging defeats. Who's to say that even had the Blue Jackets scored those one or two insurance goals that it wouldn't have just motivated the Kings to score four or five goals in the third? 

But in a season of 82 games, even the most painful of losses have to be brushed aside in short order — and that's exactly the task head coach Pascal Vincent has for his team when Columbus travels to Elmont, New York for a Thursday night meeting with the New York Islanders.

Here's what to know when the Blue Jackets visit UBS Arena: 

TALKING POINTS: NYI

• The Blue Jackets struggle to hold leads, but guess what? So do the Islanders and Tuesday, their blown lead was worse than Columbus'. New York had a 4-1 lead over the lowly San Jose Sharks with just 12 minutes remaining, and inexplicably lost 5-4 in overtime. At least with Columbus, it was in an entire period and against an elite team. The Islanders blew a two-goal, third-period lead last week against the New Jersey Devils and that was the 9th time since October 30th that they blew a lead in the final 20 minutes. All of that makes this next bit even more surprising: the Islanders are one point out of a wildcard spot and two points out of second place in the Metro Division. 
   
• Mathew Barzal may be the most talented forward on the Islanders roster and is always a threat with the puck, but he's not part of New York's hottest line in the 2023-24 season so far. Those honors belong to the trio of Pierre Engvall, Brock Nelson, and Kyle Palmieri. They're scoring right at three goals per 60 minutes, but have an expected goals per 60 of nearly four. They're sound defensively, too, giving up just six goals in 244 minutes of 5-on-5 play this season — an average of 1.47 per game. 

TALKING POINTS: CBJ

• The injury report got crowded Wednesday, with the club announcing that Adam Boqvist, Elvis Merzlikins, and Cole Sillinger were all heading to the injured list. Boqvist will miss about a month, but Merzlikins and Sillinger should be back next week. The team called up forward Emil Bemstrom, defenseman Nick Blankenburg, and goalie Jet Greaves in their places. Combine that with the trade of Eric Robinson to the Buffalo Sabres, and the Blue Jackets will have a modified look to them Thursday night. 
   
• The Blue Jackets have 30+ shots on goal just one time in their last nine games. The Islanders allow 36 shots on goal per game, 31st in the league. Columbus is going to get opportunities to score — this sounds simple, but it's also true: get the puck on the net and let good things happen. 
   
• Johnny Gaudreau might be back. Over his last six games, he's went for multiple points in three of them. Bigger than that, he scored his nicest goal of the season Tuesday, whipping a quick wrister past Los Angeles goalie Pheonix Copley for his third non-empty net goal of the season. If Gaudreau can get right, it's going to not only benefit him, but those around him too. 

Updated: 7:05 a.m. // Subject to Change
Lines are based on most recent practice/game, injury updates, and club news.