The Chicago Blackhawks are set to close out 2025 with a high-stakes showdown against the surging New York Islanders at the United Center on Tuesday night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT, marking the first of two meetings between these teams in the 2025-26 NHL season. While the Blackhawks are searching for answers after a string of tough losses, the Islanders arrive in Chicago looking to reinforce their position near the top of the Metropolitan Division.
It’s been a rocky December for the Blackhawks, who enter this contest with a 14-18-6 record and find themselves mired at the bottom of the Central Division. Their most recent outing—a 7-3 drubbing at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins—saw goaltender Spencer Knight pulled after just over 12 minutes, having surrendered four goals on only seven shots. Despite the lopsided score, there was a silver lining: captain Nick Foligno, making his return after a 19-game absence due to a hand injury, notched his first goal of the season. Wyatt Kaiser and Tyler Bertuzzi also found the back of the net, but it wasn’t enough to stem the tide.
“It’s tough to watch the puck go in like that, but we have to regroup,” said Knight, who is expected to make his 27th start of the season against the Islanders. The 24-year-old netminder holds a 10-11-5 record with a 2.55 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage. Interestingly, Knight has fared well against New York in his career, boasting a perfect 3-0-0 record with a 2.67 GAA and .909 save percentage in three appearances. He’ll need to bring his A-game, especially with the Blackhawks’ offense hampered by injuries to key players.
Chicago’s injury woes are no secret. Sensational rookie Connor Bedard, who leads the team with 19 goals and 25 assists, remains sidelined with a shoulder injury. Frank Nazar, another promising young center, is out for approximately four weeks after taking a puck to the face. The Blackhawks’ lineup has been shuffled as a result, with rookies Nick Lardis and Oliver Moore promoted to the top six. Moore, typically a winger, is getting his first taste of centering a line this season alongside Teuvo Teravainen and Lardis, who has one goal in his first seven NHL games.
Head coach Jeff Blashill is trying to keep spirits high, but the numbers don’t lie: Chicago has dropped seven of its last eight games and is just 2-5 against the puck line in its past seven contests. Their power play sits at 19.4% (14th in the league), while the penalty kill is a bright spot at 84% (4th). Still, the offense has struggled mightily without Bedard and Nazar, and the team’s 2.76 goals per game ranks 25th in the NHL.
On the other side of the ice, the New York Islanders come in with a 21-14-4 record and 46 points, good for second place in the Metropolitan Division and fourth overall in the Eastern Conference. The Isles are fresh off a 4-2 road loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, a defeat that snapped a three-game point streak. Goaltender David Rittich, who’s shouldered the load with Ilya Sorokin out due to a lower body injury, stopped 31 of 34 shots in that game. Rittich is projected to start again Tuesday, entering with a 9-4-2 record, a 2.30 GAA, and a .919 save percentage. He’s 3-1-0 with a 3.42 GAA in five career games against Chicago.
Despite their solid record, the Islanders are dealing with their own rash of injuries. In addition to Sorokin’s uncertain status—he’s questionable for a return after a stint on injured reserve—the team is missing key contributors such as Kyle Palmieri (knee), Alexander Romanov (shoulder), and Pierre Engvall (ankle), all out for the season. Head coach Patrick Roy has been forced to juggle his lines and lean heavily on his young stars, but so far, the results have been impressive.
The talk of the league is 18-year-old defenseman Matthew Schaefer, the top overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Schaefer has dazzled in his rookie campaign, recording 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists) in his first 39 games and logging a whopping 23:47 in average ice time. He’s already fourth among all NHL defensemen in goals and is the clear frontrunner for the Calder Trophy. Tuesday will mark Schaefer’s first career game at the United Center, and all eyes will be on the young phenom as he continues to make his mark.
“He’s special, no doubt about it,” Roy said of Schaefer. “The way he controls the game at both ends of the ice is beyond his years.” Up front, Bo Horvat leads the Islanders with 20 goals and 32 points, while Mat Barzal has chipped in a team-high 19 assists. Max Shabanov, another emerging talent, has also been a key offensive contributor.
Recent history favors the Blackhawks when these teams meet in Chicago. The Hawks have won 10 of their last 13 games against the Islanders at the United Center (10-3-0) and own a 15-8-2 record in the past 25 overall matchups. Last season, the teams split their two meetings, with the Blackhawks dropping a 5-4 decision at UBS Arena before rebounding for a 5-3 victory at home.
Betting markets have pegged the Islanders as favorites for Tuesday’s tilt, with a -1.5 spread and a money line of -133, while the Blackhawks are +1.5 and +127, respectively. The over/under for total goals is set at 5.5, reflecting the offensive struggles and goaltending questions on both sides. Of note, the Islanders have dropped their last four road games, a statistic that could give hope to a Chicago squad desperate to snap its losing streak and end the year on a high note.
Both teams are feeling the effects of a grueling schedule and mounting injuries. Islanders head coach Patrick Roy noted after the Columbus loss, “We just looked tired. The schedule’s been tough, and we’re missing key guys, but we have to find a way to push through.” The Blackhawks, meanwhile, are trying to keep their heads above water as they await the return of their young stars.
As the puck gets set to drop, fans are left wondering: can the Blackhawks rediscover their winning ways at home, or will the Islanders’ depth and youthful energy prevail despite their injury setbacks? With both clubs hungry for points and eager to shake off recent disappointments, Tuesday night’s contest promises drama, grit, and perhaps a glimpse of the NHL’s next generation of stars.
One thing’s certain: the final game of 2025 at the United Center is shaping up to be a pivotal clash, with both teams looking to set the tone for the new year. Stay tuned—this one’s far from settled.
