ISLANDERS (+140) at BLUE JACKETS (-160), 7 p.m.
Pick: Islanders (+125)
The Islanders (44-25-7) have turned up the heat again as of late, winning two in a row in an attempt to keep pace with the Capitals and hold off the Penguins atop the Metro Division. A Isles victory would also be another nail in the coffin for the Blue Jackets (41-30-4), whose season hasn’t been going exactly as planned.
Currently Columbus is on the outside looking in at the playoff picture. Even with all of the acquisitions at the trade deadline, they can’t seem to pull it together. Their chemistry is nil, their regulars haven’t been able to score on a consistent basis like they were before February and everything is just off. They trail the Canadiens by two points for the No. 8 slot and host them Thursday before picking up their game-in-hand over the weekend. The next five days are key for them. However, if the past is any indication of how this will go, we think the Blue Jackets will ultimately come up short. Plus, that road price for the resurgent Islanders is just too tempting to pass up.