Canucks vs Islanders Picks and Prediction – 3/26/2025

Vancouver heads into UBS Arena riding momentum after edging New Jersey 4-3 in a shootout. That win snapped a two-game skid on the road trip and pushed the Canucks to 33-26-12 on the season. Meanwhile, New York dropped a 4-3 shootout heartbreaker to Columbus, the second straight OT or SO loss, slipping to 32-28-10. These two teams last met in November when the Islanders rolled 5-2. Slam dunk your bets with our College Basketball picks.

The Canucks are holding on to playoff hopes in the Pacific, and every point matters now. Brock Boeser continues to lead with 23 goals and 8 power-play tallies, while Quinn Hughes is producing big from the blue line with 68 points, including 52 assists. Vancouver split the last five games but showed grit in the comeback against the Devils. They’ll be without Elias Pettersson, Filip Chytil, and Nils Hoglander, which limits depth up front. Kevin Lankinen is expected in goal with a 2.59 goals against average and .901 save percentage.

Defensively, the Canucks allow 3.04 goals per game and have struggled with penalties, racking up 657 penalty minutes this season. The penalty kill has been solid, though at 82.6%. Vancouver’s power play sits at 22.1%, showing it can be a threat even with key injuries. The team gives up just 26.5 shots per game, so if they tighten up early, they can stay in the game even on the road. 

The Islanders have gone 3-1-1 in the last five games and are fighting for position in the Metro. Anders Lee leads the team with 26 goals, while Bo Horvat has posted 49 points. The Islanders are strong at home and have taken points in 5 of the last 6 in Elmont. They outshot Columbus but still fell short, something they’ll look to clean up against a depleted Vancouver team.

On defense, New York allows 2.96 goals per game and leans on Ilya Sorokin, who’s holding a .907 save percentage with a 2.72 GAA. The penalty kill has been a disaster at just 72.1%, and the Islanders have given up 43 power-play goals. They’ve allowed more than 28 shots per game but have been bailed out plenty by Sorokin. Hudson Fasching is out.

The Islanders are healthier and more consistent at home, and Vancouver is short-handed without Pettersson and Hoglander. Ilya Sorokin has a clear edge in net over Lankinen, and the Islanders have already handled the Canucks once this season. Vancouver’s penalty issues won’t help against a desperate New York squad. Final Score Prediction: New York Islanders win 4-2.