The Vancouver Canucks visit the New York Islanders on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, with puck drop scheduled for 7:45 p.m. Eastern Time at UBS Arena. Vancouver arrives on a four-game losing streak, while New York has a rest advantage and an early edge in both goaltending and special teams.
Game Details
- Matchup: Vancouver Canucks at New York Islanders
- Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2026
- Time: 7:45 p.m. ET (23:45 UTC)
- Venue: UBS Arena, Elmont, New York
The fixture and start time are listed on the CBS Sports Canucks schedule. Vancouver enters at 2-5-0, while New York is 2-3-0. The Canucks have lost four consecutive games, and the Islanders have split their last four.
Matchup Breakdown
The clearest concern for Vancouver is its work without the puck. According to PuckBank’s season-to-date figures, the Canucks have killed only about 52% of opposing power plays. New York’s power play has converted at approximately 25%, creating an obvious matchup for the Islanders to target.
The difference is not as pronounced when Vancouver has the man advantage, but it still favors New York. The Canucks’ power play is operating at roughly 19%, compared with an Islanders penalty kill near 84%. Those rates come from a limited early-season sample, yet Vancouver’s penalty-killing problems are significant enough to influence this prediction.
Rest and travel also lean toward the home side. Squawka’s matchup preview lists Vancouver with one day off and New York with two. The Canucks are also continuing a road stretch after three consecutive away games. That does not decide the matchup by itself, but it gives the Islanders a more favorable setup.
New York is not without offensive questions. Mathew Barzal’s absence removes an important playmaker, and LineCrush has highlighted concerns about the Islanders’ transition offense. If New York struggles to generate clean entries at five-on-five, Vancouver could remain within one goal even if the Islanders control more of the game.
Goalies and Injury Watch
Projected, not confirmed: Kevin Lankinen is expected to start for Vancouver, with Ilya Sorokin projected for New York. Neither starter had been confirmed in the supplied reports. PuckBank lists Sorokin with a .937 save percentage and Lankinen at .786 entering the matchup. Because the season is still young, those numbers can change quickly, but the current gap strongly favors the Islanders.
Vancouver goaltender Thatcher Demko is listed out with a hip injury by Covers. The same injury report lists Filip Chytil, Mackenzie MacEachern, Thomas and Thompson as out, with Brendan Gallagher day-to-day. Lineup statuses should be checked again before puck drop.
For New York, Barzal is listed on injured reserve, while defenseman Alexander Romanov is out. Sportsnaut’s projected Islanders lineup includes Bo Horvat, Emil Heineman and Kyle Palmieri together, with Sorokin in goal and Semyon Varlamov backing up. Those combinations remain projections rather than confirmed game-night assignments.
Odds and Betting Considerations
Odds were checked on October 12, 2026, at approximately 3 p.m. ET. Caesars, as displayed by AgentBets.ai, listed Vancouver at +177 and New York at -213. The total was 6.5, with the over at +109 and the under at -134.
Prices varied across the market. AgentBets.ai showed a best available Islanders moneyline of -205 at FanDuel, while BetRivers offered New York -1.5 at +120. BetRivers also listed under 6.5 at -129, while DraftKings had over 6.5 at +114. Separately, BetUS posted a total of six goals with both sides at -110.
The Islanders deserve to be favored, but a moneyline above -200 requires a high win probability and offers limited room for error. The under 6.5 is more appealing than laying that price. Sorokin’s projected start supports a lower Vancouver total, while Barzal’s absence and New York’s uneven transition attack may limit the Islanders’ scoring ceiling. Bettors should verify both starting goalies before acting.
Prediction
Prediction: Islanders 4, Canucks 2.
New York has the stronger projected goaltender, the better early special-teams profile and an extra day of rest at home. Vancouver’s struggling penalty kill is the most important matchup factor, especially against an Islanders power play converting at roughly 25%.
The main uncertainty is New York’s offense without Barzal. If the Islanders fail to create enough at five-on-five, this could become a tight one-goal game rather than a comfortable home victory. Still, Sorokin’s current form provides the better foundation. The preferred angle is under 6.5 at -129 or better, with the Islanders picked to win but their moneyline price considered expensive.
