Welcome back to another NHL Predictions. Each day, our writers here at Last Word On Hockey look at the games and give in-depth analysis. Our team breaks down the key matchups, storylines, and stats, then makes predictions based on how they might play out. For this edition, we will look at the New York Islanders taking on the Vancouver Canucks. Don’t forget to check out more NHL Predictions, as our writers continue this series throughout the 2025-26 season.
NHL Predictions New York Islanders vs Vancouver Canucks
Time: 7:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
How to Watch TV: MSGSN; Sportsnet Pacific; ESPN+, NHLN
2024-25 Season Series: Series was split 1-1
This matchup in our NHL predictions features two out-of-conference opponents sitting at opposite ends of the standings. The Islanders are second in the Eastern Conference’s Metropolitan Division after 34 games. Their record is 19-12-3 in those games, which translates to 41 points. While the Canucks are in last place in the Western Conference’s Pacific Division 33 games in. Their record is 13-17-3, which has them at 29 points. This will be the first of two matchups on the season between these teams. The first being tonight inside the UBS Arena on Long Island.
The Islanders Story
The Islanders come into this game after their three-game winning streak was snapped in the last one. The team is 1-1 in their games without Bo Horvat, who continues to work his way back from a lower-body injury. The team’s offence has been slowed, only scoring two goals each in the games without him. They have dropped to 21st in the league in goals for per game with 2.91. Mathew Barzal has been stepping up, extending his point streak to five games. Emil Henineman has upped his game as well and has been a nice surprise so far this season. He is second on the team in goals and scored his 11th of the season last game. That number sets a new career high for him, and he did it in just over half the number of regular-season games he played in his rookie season a year ago.
The defence has continued its strong run in the past few games. For the third game in a row, they held their opponent to three goals or fewer. They are in the top 10 in goals-against-per-game, ranking 10th in the league with 2.74 per game. Their penalty kill ranks just outside the top 10, in 11th with an 82.3% kill rate. The most important player remains Ilya Sorokin. He will start in this game, the first of a back-to-back. He just had his own personal five-game winning streak snapped, but he will try to start a new streak in this one. His record is 12-9-2 with a .910 save percentage. However, this is a good chance to add our disclaimer. Please check social media for the very latest lineup news before locking in your daily fantasy rosters.
The Canucks Story
Despite the rough record for the Canucks, they come into this game on a two-game winning streak. Despite that, they have been struggling to produce goals. In six of the last eight games, they have scored two goals or fewer. This inconsistency has them ranked 27th in goals for with 2.73 per game. With team point leader Elias Pettersson still on the injured reserve, the struggles could continue. They will look to the newly acquired Marco Rossi to man the top line in his absence. Rossi has 13 points in 19 games, but none with his new team yet. He and Brock Boeser will hope to turn things around. Boeser has 17 points in 31 games.
Defensively, things don’t get much better for the Canucks. While they have been in decent form as of late, allowing two goals or fewer in three of the last five games. They still don’t rank well in the league, coming in at 3.39 goals against per game, which is 26th in the league. Add in the fact that they just traded away their captain and team point leader in Quinn Hughes, to the Minnesota Wild, and things could get worse before they get better. In net will be Thatcher Demko, who has been really good since returning from injury. He has gone 2-1-0 with a .938 save percentage since returning.
Prediction
Coming into this game, both teams are moving in opposite directions. The Islanders are trending up while the Canucks are on the downswing. Looking further into this matchup and New York holds the edge in a lot of areas. Offensively and defensively, the Islanders rank better. In between the pipes, the Islanders have the better goalie, and they have home ice, too. We think New York should be able to get the job done and get back in the win column.
Prediction: Islanders win 3-2
Prop Bets
According to the popular sportsbooks, the Islanders are the favourites at home. We like their moneyline at 140. The over/under is set at 5.5. Due to the offensive struggles and strong goaltending play from both teams, we like the under at -106. As far as an anytime goal scorer, for the Islanders, take Emil Henineman at +230. We highlighted him before, and playing on the top line with Barzal gives him a good chance to deposit one in this game. For the Canucks, take Marco Rossi at +340. He was just acquired by the team and hasn’t recorded a point yet. Look for him to try and show why the team traded for him by scoring a goal in this contest.
Main Photo Credit: Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports
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The post NHL Prediction: Dec. 19 New York Islanders vs Vancouver Canucks appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.