Game Preview: Islanders at Blackhawks Dec. 30

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (21-14-4) AT CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (14-18-6)

8:30 PM | UNITED CENTER

WATCH/STREAM: MSGSN | GOTHAM SPORTS APP

LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | ISLANDERS + UBS ARENA APP

The New York Islanders head to Chicago to play the Blackhawks on Tuesday night, seeking to close out 2025 with a win.

The Isles are coming off a 4-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday evening. Goals from Max Shabanov and Bo Horvat gave the Islanders a 2-1 lead after the second period, but the Blue Jackets’ three-goal third period was too much to overcome. David Rittich saved 31 of Columbus’ 34 shots.

PROJECTED LINES

Emil Heineman - Bo Horvat - Mathew Barzal
Anders Lee - JG Pageau - Jonathan Drouin
Max Shabanov - Cal Ritchie - Simon Holmstrom
Anthony Duclair - Casey Cizikas - Marc Gatcomb

Matthew Schaefer - Ryan Pulock
Adam Pelech - Tony DeAngelo
Marshall Warren - Scott Mayfield

David Rittich

RITTICH TO START

David Rittich is expected to make his fifth straight on Tuesday. Rittich is 9-4-2 this season, along with a 2.30 GAA and a .919 SV% and two shutouts.

There is no update on Ilya Sorokin (IR), who has missed four games with a nagging injury.

BARZAL UPDATE

Mathew Barzal was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for slashing Mason Marchment in Sunday’s loss. Barzal’s reaction was in response to Marchment’s hit on Matthew Schaefer. Barzal was fined by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety on Monday, but was not issued a suspension, so he is eligible to play on Tuesday.

LEE AND HOLMSTROM MILESTONES

Anders Lee and Simon Holmstrom are both one goal shy of career milestones heading into Tuesday’s contest.

Lee scored his 299th career goal in the early minutes of Saturday’s game against the New York Rangers. He now sets his eyes on career goal number 300, a feat only four other players in Islanders history have achieved.

Holmstrom, who also scored against the Rangers, is one goal away from 50 career goals. He has notched a goal in three of the last four meetings with the Blackhawks.

HORVAT AGAINST THE BLACKHAWKS

Bo Horvat has scored a goal in each of his last four games against the Blackhawks dating back to the 2022-23 season. Horvat has 22 points (13G, 9A) in 24 career games against Chicago.

The 12th year forward netted a goal in the 4-2 loss on Saturday, bringing him to 20 goals in a season for the 10th time in his career. Horvat leads the Islanders with 32 points (20G, 12A).

SEASON SERIES

This is the first of two meetings between the Islanders and Blackhawks this season.

New York and Chicago have split the season series for the last two years.

BLACKHAWKS NOTES

Chicago is entering Tuesday’s game off a 7-3 defeat to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday.

Tyler Bertuzzi, Jason Dickinson and Connor Murphy all extended their point streaks to two games against the Penguins. Bertuzzi has potted three goals in that stretch and sits tied for first with Connor Bedard to lead the team with 19 goals this season.

Chicago has struggled to find their footing as of late, dropping seven of their last eight games. Their sole win over that span came against the Dallas Stars in a shootout on Dec. 27.

Bedard (IR, upper-body) has missed seven games and is expected to miss Tuesday’s game against the Isles. He’s been out since Dec. 12, but is taking positive steps toward returning, as he skated on Monday before the team’s practice.

The Blackhawks are 1-6-0 since the 2024 first-overall pick has been out of the lineup. The 20-year-old leads Chicago and ranks ninth in the NHL with 44 points (19G, 25A) in 31 games played in his second NHL season.

Chicago will also be without Frank Nazar, as the forward is also on IR with an upper-body injury. The 13th-overall pick in 2022 has 21 points (5G, 16A) in 33 games with the Blackhawks this season. Chicago is 1-3-0 since Nazar’s injury.

The Blackhawks own the 14th best power-play percentage in the NHL at 19.4%, but they’ve dropped to last in the league at 8.8% in December.

Chicago’s penalty kill ranks fourth in the NHL at 84.0% this season.