Columbus Blue Jackets vs New York Islanders prediction: Sorokin and shot volume on Nov. 17, 2026

The Blue Jackets vs Islanders game on Nov. 17 pairs two Metropolitan Division teams that arrive in poor form. Columbus has lost two straight, and the Islanders are winless in four games, though they earned a point in each of the last two.

It is a regular season game in Elmont, New York, and the Islanders hold the edge in the standings. The sharper question is whether Columbus can turn shot volume into goals against Sorokin while New York cuts down the chances it gives up.

This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

When is Blue Jackets vs Islanders?

The game starts at 7:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2026, in Elmont, New York. It is a 2026-27 regular season game and the first of four meetings this season. The teams meet again on Feb. 22, Feb. 27 and April 10.

Traders following the wider schedule can find the day's other games in the daily sports prediction markets lineup.

What is Blue Jackets vs Islanders prediction?

The Islanders are favorites at 53%, with the Blue Jackets at 50%, according to market data as of 12 Nov 2026. For the latest probabilities, check OG.com.

These percentages are implied probabilities. They reflect the market's expectations, not guaranteed outcomes, and prices can change as traders react to new information. A limit order lets a trader set the price they're willing to accept.

In sports prediction markets, prices can move when goalie decisions or injury news arrive, so the 53% and 50% could look different by puck drop. Check the contract terms to see how overtime and shootouts are handled, since the Islanders' last two games went past regulation.

Blue Jackets vs Islanders recent scores and head-to-head results

Columbus is short on goals and New York is long on goals against, and the last three games for each team show it.

Columbus scored five goals and allowed 10 across those three games. The Islanders scored nine and allowed 13.

The Islanders won three of the four meetings last season, including a 1-0 win on March 22 in which Sorokin made 26 saves and Bo Horvat scored 1:25 into the game. Jet Greaves stopped 21 of 22 shots for Columbus that night. Pete DeBoer now coaches the Islanders, and Patrick Roy was behind the bench in March.

Where do the Blue Jackets and Islanders stand this season?

The Islanders are 7-6-4 with 18 points in 17 games, a .529 points percentage. The Blue Jackets are 7-9-0 with 14 points in 16 games, a .438 points percentage.

Venue splits point toward New York. The Islanders are 4-3-2 at home, and Columbus is 1-5-0 on the road. This is also the Islanders' first home game after a three-game California trip, and the fourth game of a 10-game, 19-day stretch.

Blue Jackets vs Islanders team news, injuries and projected lineups

Both teams have lineup questions, and neither has announced a starting goalie for Nov. 17.

Blue Jackets

Conor Garland is out with an upper-body injury, and Sunrise Hockey Insider reports he could be sidelined until at least Nov. 30. He has one point in 15 games, so his absence thins the forward group more than it removes a scorer. Kent Johnson leads Columbus with 16 points.

In goal, Cam Talbot is 5-3-0 with a 2.51 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage in nine games. Greaves is 2-6-0 with a 3.36 average and a .880 save percentage, also in nine games.

Islanders

Mathew Barzal, Matias Maccelli and Ryan Pulock practiced in regular jerseys on Tuesday, and DeBoer said all three would be evaluated Thursday against the Kings. Barzal has not played this season. In practice line rushes he took Jean-Gabriel Pageau's third-line center spot, and Pulock skated with Adam Pelech.

Alexander Romanov (torn right ACL) is out, and Calum Ritchie (lower body) was still listed as injured Monday. Sorokin is 6-4-2 with a 2.57 average and a .914 save percentage in 12 games, while Semyon Varlamov has a .892 save percentage.

What could decide Blue Jackets vs Islanders?

Shot volume, goaltending and special teams frame this game.

Can Columbus turn shot volume into goals against Sorokin?

Against Florida, Columbus put up 73 shot attempts and scored once, with Jacob Markstrom stopping 37 of 38 shots on goal. Coach Rick Bowness said afterward that the team needs more traffic in front of the net. The Blue Jackets' power play is 27th in the NHL at 17.1%, so extra man-advantage time has not been a reliable fix.

Sorokin's .914 save percentage ranks ninth among qualified goalies, so Columbus will have to create better chances, not just more of them. A sharper finishing night would change the balance quickly.

Will the Islanders keep giving Sorokin 40-shot nights?

San Jose put 39 shots on Sorokin through regulation and overtime, and Horvat said the team can't keep giving up 40 shots a night. The Islanders allowed 13 goals in their last three games and still earned two points in the last two because of Sorokin.

Pulock skated beside Pelech in practice and Barzal would add a center, so a healthier lineup could help New York limit those chances. None of the three is confirmed to play.

Do road form and the goalie choice tilt the game?

Columbus is 1-5-0 away from home, and Talbot's .909 save percentage sits well above Greaves' .880. If Columbus starts Talbot and the Islanders are at full strength, the game narrows. If Greaves starts, New York's home edge grows.

Columbus's route runs through finishing the chances it creates and staying out of the penalty box. The Islanders' route runs through cutting the shots they allow and letting Sorokin handle the rest. Whether Barzal, Maccelli and Pulock play is the main uncertainty.

FAQs

These are the questions fans ask most about the Nov. 17 game.

What time is Blue Jackets vs Islanders on Nov. 17?

The game starts at 7:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 17, in Elmont, New York, and airs on ESPN+.

Who is favored in Blue Jackets vs Islanders?

OG.com prediction markets price the Islanders at 53% and the Blue Jackets at 50%.

Who will start in goal for Blue Jackets vs Islanders?

Neither team has announced a starter for Nov. 17. Columbus has used Talbot and Greaves, and the Islanders have Sorokin and Varlamov.

Is Mathew Barzal playing against the Blue Jackets?

Barzal has yet to play this season and is being evaluated Thursday against the Kings. His status for Nov. 17 is not announced.

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