The New York Islanders have become scorching hot New York favorites. Coming home after a brilliant 6-1-0 road trip, the team hosts the St. Louis Blues on Nov. 22 at 3:30 PM ET at UBS Arena. The Islanders sit at 12-7-2. The struggling Blues are 6-9-6.
🔥 Quick Facts:
Islanders were 6-1-0 on recent road trip, picked up 12 of 14 possible points
Bo Horvat has 14 goals, 11 assists this season, points in 10 of last 11 games
Ilya Sorokin recorded 2 shutouts on road trip, 24 career shutouts total
Blues are 0-1-3 in last 4 games, lost 3 of last 4 in overtime
Islanders lead all-time series 59-43-20-3 against the Blues
The Matchup Takes Shape
The Islanders are absolutely rolling. They just wrapped their road trip impressively. They picked up 12 of a possible 14 points across their games. 17 different players found the scoresheet over that span. Plus, they’re 7-1-1 in their last nine home games against the Blues historically. That’s a huge advantage heading into Saturday.
The Blues are struggling badly. They’ve lost four straight games. Worse, three of their last four losses came in overtime or shootouts. That pattern emerged again Thursday when they blew a 2-0 lead to the Philadelphia Flyers and dropped it 3-2 in OT. Justin Faulk scored both early goals. But the team couldn’t seal the deal.
This is the first meeting of the season between these teams. Last season, they split the season series. But check the all-time record—the Islanders dominate this matchup overall.
Key Players and Statistics
Player/Stat
Islanders
Blues
Leading Scorer
Bo Horvat – 25 points (14G, 11A)
Robert Thomas – 13 points (3G, 10A)
Goal Leaders
Horvat – 14 goals
Tied at 6 (Faulk, Kyrou, Neighbours)
Goaltender Record
Sorokin 7-5-2, 2.71 GAA, .905 SV%
Binnington 4-7-0, 3.30 GAA, .872 SV%
Recent Form (Last 5)
On a winning streak
1-1-3 record
Home/Away (Season)
4-3-1 at home
3-4-2 on road
The Islanders are coming in hot. Bo Horvat has been absolutely electric. He has 14 goals, tied for second in the NHL. He’s got points in 10 of his last 11 games. He picked up 9 points on the road trip alone. Ilya Sorokin has been stellar between the pipes. His road trip was dominant—4-1-0 record, 1.59 GAA, .948 SV%. He recorded 2 shutouts during that stretch.
The Blues rely on Robert Thomas, who leads with 13 points. But he’s mostly an assist man with 10 helpers. Goal-scoring is spread out. Faulk, Kyrou, and Neighbours are all tied with 6 goals each. Jordan Binnington started strong early but has struggled lately.
Critical Advantages for Each Team
The Islanders’ defense is playing suffocating hockey. Their penalty kill was 91.7% on the road trip—that’s elite. They even scored 2 shorthanded goals while killing penalties. Plus, Matthew Schaefer, the rookie sensation, added a plus-3 rating in the Detroit game without even getting on the scoresheet.
But here’s the Blues’ issue. They haven’t scored even-strength goals from forwards lately. Robert Thomas was the last forward to score even-strength. Since then, the Blues have scored 5 goals total. Three came from defensemen. That’s backwards hockey. You need your forwards to drive offense. The Blues power play is 24.5%, ranked seventh in the league, but it can’t carry them forever.
Sorokin is one shutout away from tying a franchise record. He wants to keep rolling. Meanwhile, Horvat keeps multiplying his impact. The Islanders look primed to dominate.
What Experts Predict
Vegas clearly favors the Islanders. Multiple sportsbooks have the Islanders at -130 on the moneyline. FanDuel projects Islanders 5, Blues 2. Fox Sports also predicted 5-2 Islanders. Last Word on Sports went with 4-1 Islanders. The over-under is set around 5.5-6.0 goals.
All the statistical models agree. The Islanders should win comfortably. The Blues are in free fall. Home ice matters. Elite penalty kill matters. Dominant goaltending matters. The Islanders have all three.
Can the Blues Find Answers?
St. Louis needs to stop bleeding in overtime. Losing games you led by 2 goals is crushing. Jake Neighbours just returned from injury and recorded an assist. But he’s not enough. The whole team needs to get back to basics with their even-strength offense.
The Islanders just swept practically their entire road trip. They’re heading home energized. Coach Patrick Roy said the road success should bring energy to the building. The fans will be excited. Momentum matters in hockey.
Will the Blues’ power play keep them in this game? Or will Sorokin lock down another shutout?
Sources
NHL.com – Official game previews and statistics
ESPN – Real-time player stats and game analysis
The Hockey Writers – Detailed game breakdowns and predictions
Michael Brown is a seasoned sports journalist bringing years of experience covering professional athletics and sporting culture. With a keen eye for breaking stories and player dynamics, this veteran journalist delivers in-depth analysis and exclusive insights from the world’s biggest sporting events. His passion for the game shines through in every story, keeping fans connected to the action both on and off the field.