New York Islanders vs Ottawa Senators Picks and Prediction for Thursday October 15, 2026
The New York Islanders will make the trip to Ottawa, Ontario, Thursday night for an Eastern Conference matchup against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre. The game is scheduled to begin at 7 PM Eastern. New York enters the contest looking to establish momentum on the road and improve its offensive consistency against a talented Ottawa team as they are currently 3-3-0 on the year and winless on the road. Ottawa will return to its home ice looking to continue building confidence early in the season. The Senators are 5-2 this year, having won 3 of the last 4 following a blowout loss to St. Louis last time out. New York is a +140 road dog coming into this game. The Senators are a -166 favorite, and the total is set at 5.5. Stay in the news with our NHL Picks.
New York looks to get above .500
The New York Islanders offense is averaging 3.17 goals with 26.3 shots per game this season. Defensively, New York has held their own, allowing 2.5 goals on 27 shots per game, and they have allowed three total goals across their last three victories, but they have also given up 10 total goals across their last two losses. Bo Horvat leads the New York offense this season with 7 points, and he has posted a team-leading four goals. Matthew Schaefer is second on the roster this year with six points, along with a team leading 6 assists. Brayden Schenn and Matias Maccelli are tied for third on the team with five points apiece.
Ilya Sorokin led the charge for New York in their last outing, giving up just two goals on 26 shots to post a .923 save percentage. Kyle Palmieri led the New York offense with two goals on two shots in nearly 17 minutes on the ice. Mattias Maccelli added one goal and one assist to the offense.
Key Injury Report for New York:
- Mathew Barzal (IR-NR) - Oct 20
- Alexander Romanov (Out) - Apr 8
Ottawa tries to continue their hot streak
The Ottawa Senators offense has been below average this season, averaging just 2.86 goals on 23 shots. Defensively, Ottawa has been much better, allowing 2.71 goals on 26.7 shots per game, but they have allowed twelve goals across their last two losses. Tim Stutzle is leading the Ottawa offense this season with 11 points, five goals, and six assists. Shane Pinto is 2nd on the roster this year with six points. Claude Giroux and Drake Batherson are both tied for third on the roster with five points each.
Samuel Ersson struggled immensely in the net for Ottawa in their last outing, giving up seven goals on 26 shots to post a .731 save percentage in the game. Fabian Zetterlund and Glaude Giroux were the only life in the Ottawa offense against Saint Louis, scoring one goal each. Drake Batherson, Stephen Halliday, Shane Pinto, and Tim Stutzle all added to the Ottawa offense with one assist apiece.
Key Injury Report for Ottawa:
- Jake Sanderson (Day-To-Day) - Oct 15
- Ridly Greig (Day-To-Day) - Oct 15
- Nikolas Matinpal (Out) - October 24
- Artem Zub (IR-NR) - Oct 15
- Cameron Crotty (IR) - Oct 15
New York Islanders vs Ottawa Senators Picks and Prediction
Pick: Ottawa Senators -166
Ottawa has the offensive advantage in this matchup and should be able to create consistent scoring opportunities against an Islanders team that generally prefers a more controlled style of hockey. Tim Stützle and Brady Tkachuk give the Senators two different offensive threats, with Stützle creating opportunities through speed and puck movement while Tkachuk provides a physical presence around the net. New York will need Bo Horvat and linemates to generate offense, but the Islanders could struggle if Ottawa forces them to spend extended stretches defending. The Senators should also benefit from their ability to pressure opposing defenders and create turnovers along the boards. If Ottawa maintains possession and forces New York to chase the puck, the Senators should have the advantage. Take Ottawa at home.
Pick: Under 6.5
Although Ottawa has enough offensive talent to produce several goals, the Islanders should approach this matchup with an emphasis on limiting scoring opportunities and controlling the pace. New York cannot afford to exchange chances with an Ottawa offense that features multiple dangerous forwards, making defensive positioning and disciplined puck management especially important. The Islanders should attempt to slow the game through structured neutral-zone play and extended possessions rather than allowing Ottawa to create repeated odd-man rushes. Ottawa can generate offense without turning the contest into a wide-open game, particularly if it establishes an early lead. With New York likely prioritizing defensive responsibility and Ottawa capable of protecting an advantage, this matchup has a reasonable path to finishing with six goals or fewer.