New York Islanders vs Montreal Canadiens Picks and Predictions for Thursday February 26 2026

By: Kim Smith Published 02/26/2026, 01:15 AM ET

The New York Islanders travel north of the border to face the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday, February 26, 2026. Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM ET at the Bell Centre, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+. Both teams enter this matchup with identical 32-win records, making this one of the more intriguing games on the Eastern Conference slate. At the time of this writing, the odds were not released. Be sure to check out our free NHL picks for the full slate of action.

Islanders Rely on Structure and Defense

The Islanders come into this contest at 32-21-5 overall and 16-11-3 on the road. Recently, New York won over New Jersey 3-1, Pittsburgh 5-4 in overtime, and the Rangers 2-1, while also losing to Washington 4-1 and Nashville 4-3. They’ve been competitive in nearly every outing, with three wins in their last five games and multiple one-goal contests highlighting their disciplined style.

Offensively, the Islanders average 2.84 goals per game while allowing just 2.71 goals against per contest. They generate 27.4 shots per game and give up 27.9, reflecting a balanced approach. Their power play has scored 27 goals at a 15.7% rate, which leaves room for improvement, but their penalty kill has been strong at 82.4%. They’ve also allowed zero short-handed goals, which speaks to their careful puck management.

What stands out most about this Islanders team is their ability to keep games tight. They rarely allow opponents to run away on the scoreboard, and their special teams, particularly the penalty kill, give them a steady defensive backbone. If they control pace and limit Montreal’s transition chances, they can dictate this matchup.

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Canadiens Bring High-Octane Offense

Montreal enters at 32-17-8 overall and 16-11-1 at home. The Canadiens recently won over Winnipeg 5-1, Buffalo 4-2, Colorado 7-3, and Vegas 3-2 in overtime, with their only recent loss coming in overtime to Minnesota 4-3. Four wins in their last five games demonstrate the offensive firepower that has fueled their success.

The Canadiens are averaging 3.46 goals per game while allowing 3.21. They take 26.2 shots per contest and allow 27.3. Their power play has been productive with 39 goals and a 23.9% success rate, while the penalty kill sits at 76.9%. Montreal has also surrendered zero short-handed goals, showing that they protect the puck well even when pushing offensively.

Montreal’s biggest strength is their scoring depth. They have topped four goals in three of their last five games and are comfortable engaging in higher-scoring contests. At the Bell Centre, they tend to play with confidence and tempo, forcing opponents into track-meet style games.

New York Islanders vs Montreal Canadiens Pick

Islanders vs Canadiens Pick

Pick: Montreal Canadiens Moneyline

While the Islanders are disciplined defensively, Montreal’s recent offensive surge and strong overall record at home give them the edge. The Canadiens’ ability to capitalize on the power play and generate timely goals should be enough to secure the win in front of their home crowd.

Islanders vs Canadiens Total Pick

Pick: Over 5.5 Goals

I’m leaning toward the over in this matchup. Montreal has scored 5, 4, 7, and 3 goals in four of their last five games, and while the Islanders play a more structured style, they’ve still been involved in several games that reached at least six total goals. With Montreal pushing the pace and both teams protecting well against short-handed chances, I expect sustained offensive pressure that leads to multiple scoring opportunities.

Final Score Prediction: Canadiens 4, Islanders 2

This prediction was written before the completion of game play on Wednesday.