The rivalry between the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils resumes with New York heading to Newark for one last game before the Olympic break. The Islanders are in third place in the Metropolitan Division and looking to get a second straight win before the break. The Devils are struggling and will try to avoid heading into the break on a losing streak. Who will get the job done on Thursday night? Continue reading to get my Islanders vs Devils prediction in the NHL.
Our Islanders vs Devils Pick
Islanders ML ATS PRO
Confidence: 2/5
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: New York Islanders vs New Jersey Devils
- Date & Time: Thursday, February 5, 2026, 7:00 PM ET
- Venue: Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
- Broadcast: ESPN+
Key Storylines
Recent form
- Islanders: 3-2 across the last 5 games, with quality wins over the Rangers and Penguins, and recent setbacks to Nashville and Washington. The Isles could be in second place in the Metro if they get a win and the Penguins lose to the Sabres.
- Devils: 1-4 across the last 5, shut out by Columbus on Tuesday. Home record is 13-11-2, but scoring has dipped with several key pieces in and out of the lineup.
Goaltending
- Islanders: Ilya Sorokin has been the main starter in net for the Islanders this season. He has a .915 save percentage this season and will try to make another major impact for his team here.
- Devils: Jacob Markstrom has swung from strong outings to tough ones week to week. His last 5 include a 29-save win over Nashville and losses to Seattle and Columbus. His team has allowed too many high-danger looks when he’s in net.
Key skaters
- Islanders leaders: Mathew Barzal paces the club with 50 points and produces plenty of zone entries and primary assists. Bo Horvat leads the Isles with 23 goals after returning from a lower-body issue and is back on the top unit.
- Devils leaders: Nico Hischier sits at 41 points with 18 goals. Jesper Bratt the Devils leads in assists at 27 and remains the primary distributor on PP1. Keep an eye on Timo Meier’s shot volume on the right side at even strength.
- Injury notes: Jack Hughes is day-to-day with a lower-body issue and missed the last two games leading into Tuesday. Luke Hughes remains out longer term. New York has worked through recent illnesses, with their top forward group largely intact.
Betting Trends & H2H
- Islanders are 3-0 against the Devils this season and 6-4 across the last 10 head-to-head meetings.
- The Isles are a combined 7-0 against the Rangers and Devils so far this season.
Islanders vs Devils Model Projection
Score Projection: New York Islanders 3 – New Jersey Devils 2
Win Probability: New York Islanders 56%, New Jersey Devils 44%
Final Thoughts
New York brings the stronger five-on-five metrics, steadier goaltending, and the more dependable finishing line in Bo Horvat–Mathew Barzal. New Jersey’s path is clear: win the special teams minutes and protect the slot in front of Jacob Markstrom. With the Islanders already 3-0 in the season series and the Devils’ scoring cooling off, I'm going to take the Isles to complete a rare 8-0 regular season against their tri-state area rivals.
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