The New York Islanders and Columbus Blue Jackets face off tonight at Nationwide Arena. Here’s a look at the projected lineups:
Islanders (21-13-4)
The Islanders are coming off a 2-0 shutout win against the New York Rangers. Goaltender David Rittich earned the shutout, stopping all 27 shots he faced.
Forwards:
- Jonathan Drouin — Bo Horvat — Emil Heineman
- Anders Lee — Mathew Barzal — Simon Holmstrom
- Maxim Shabanov — Calum Ritchie — Jean-Gabriel Pageau
- Kyle MacLean — Casey Cizikas — Marc Gatcomb
Defense:
- Matthew Schaefer — Ryan Pulock
- Adam Pelech — Tony DeAngelo
- Marshall Warren — Scott Mayfield
Goaltenders:
- David Rittich
- Marcus Hogberg
Scratches: Maxim Tsyplakov, Anthony Duclair, Adam Boqvist
Injuries: Ilya Sorokin (lower body), Kyle Palmieri (ACL), Alexander Romanov (upper body), Semyon Varlamov (knee), Ethan Bear (upper body)
Rittich is expected to start again, with Ilya Sorokin on injured reserve. Bo Horvat has returned to action after missing five games. The Islanders have been playing well despite injuries to key players like Palmieri and Romanov. Rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer continues to impress, making a case for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
Blue Jackets (15-15-6)
The Blue Jackets last played on Monday, securing a 3-1 victory against the Los Angeles Kings.
Forwards:
- Mason Marchment — Adam Fantilli — Kirill Marchenko
- Dimitri Voronkov — Sean Monahan — Kent Johnson
- Boone Jenner — Charlie Coyle — Mathieu Olivier
- Miles Wood — Brendan Gaunce — Cole Sillinger
Defense:
- Ivan Provorov — Dante Fabbro
- Denton Mateychuk — Damon Severson
- Jake Christiansen — Brendan Smith
Goaltenders:
- Jet Greaves
- Elvis Merzlikins
Scratches: Zach Aston-Reese, Yegor Chinakhov
Injuries: Zach Werenski (lower body), Erik Gudbranson (hip), Isac Lundestrom (lower body)
Mathieu Olivier returns to the lineup after recovering from an upper-body injury. Zach Werenski is out with a lower-body injury. Mason Marchment looks to continue his strong start with the Blue Jackets.
