Chicago Blackhawks vs New York Islanders Predictions Today
The New York Islanders are the pick to beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 on October 8, with Chicago's absences of Connor Bedard and Teuvo Teravainen providing the strongest matchup reason. New York also carries significant injury concerns, and its early goaltending numbers require caution. Neither the supplied puck line nor the 5.5-goal total offers a strong enough edge for an official wager: Pass.
Chicago Blackhawks vs New York Islanders prediction and best bet
New York gets the nod in a close game. Chicago must follow its first victory without Teravainen, while Bedard remains sidelined. Those missing scoring options tilt the forecast toward the Islanders, whose early production from Brayden Schenn and Bo Horvat gives them a plausible route to a narrow win.
The best betting decision is Pass. New York's own injuries and 1-2-0 start make this a fragile favorite, and the evidence is too mixed to justify paying for Chicago's goal-and-a-half cushion or backing either side of the total. The forecast is Islanders 3, Blackhawks 2, with low confidence.
Odds, game time and how to watch
Game time: Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. ET. This is a 2026-27 NHL matchup with Chicago visiting New York.
Venue: UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York.
Records: Chicago enters 1-3-0 and New York enters 1-2-0. Both clubs have two points.
SportsJaw odds: Chicago moneyline +160; New York moneyline -180. Puck line: Chicago +1.5 (-160), New York -1.5 (+140). Total: Over 5.5 (-125), Under 5.5 (+105).
Consensus: As of October 8 at 11:17 UTC, the combined moneyline count favors New York 475 to 126 across 601 selections, with a published 79 percent share, up three percentage points from October 7. These counts incorporate modeled sportsbook selections and SportsJaw participation using an 80/20 weighting. They are not observed sportsbook ticket totals or a forecast of New York's win probability. The SportsJaw community moneyline leader is also New York.