Columbus vs NY Islanders Prediction: the Visitors Will Outplay the Outsider

Prediction for the NHL match between Columbus Blue Jackets vs New York Islanders, which will take place on April 5th. Who will turn out to be stronger? Check the team conditions! Several betting options are available.

Columbus is one of the underdogs and has been losing since the start of the season. Unfortunately, the Jackets have also been dealing with numerous injuries. Elvis Merzlikins, Adam Boqvist, Boone Jenner, Sean Kuraly, Kent Johnson, Adam Fantilli, and Yegor Chinakhov are in the club's infirmary. Despite that, the team managed to earn points. In their last two games, they upset Pittsburgh and Colorado with scores of 4:3 and 4:1. However, these victories were not enough to climb from the previous place in the Eastern standings.

Once a formidable force and a contender for the Stanley Cup, the Islanders are having a mediocre season. This is a stark contrast to their past glory. NY is fighting for a playoff spot but is not very successful. Despite this, they have shown promise in their last six games, winning four and only losing to New Jersey and Tampa Bay, 0:4 and 1:4. The visitors are tenth in the Eastern standings, just one point behind the top-8.

As the season comes to a close, the motivation of each team in the tournament is quite important. Columbus has no realistic chance of moving up to at least the penultimate place, so their motivation is zero. The Islanders are in an exciting situation, just one point behind the coveted top eight. They have won four of their last six games and are in decent shape to make up the difference.

The Islanders are in a crucial stage where every point matters. As a result, they have shifted their focus to pragmatic wins over high-scoring hockey. In their last five games, the Islanders have demonstrated this approach by conceding an average of 4.6 shots. In the upcoming contest, they will be strategic in their play, avoiding an open exchange of shots with the Jackets.