The Dallas Stars (35-18-2) head to UBS Arena to take on the New York Islanders (25-23-7) in an intriguing interconference matchup Sunday night, with both teams looking to make a strong push as the season's stretch run begins.
The Stars enter the contest riding high after an impressive 8-3 victory over San Jose, showcasing their potent offense that ranks 8th in the NHL with 3.17 goals per game, while their fourth-ranked defense allows just 2.51 goals against.
The Islanders, meanwhile, are seeking to shake off some rust after a two-week break, having dropped three of their last four games before the pause and currently sitting five points out of a wild card spot.
Recent history favors Dallas in this matchup, with the Stars holding a 5-2-3 advantage in their last 10 meetings, including a 3-0 shutout victory in their first encounter this season.
The contrast in special teams could prove decisive, as Dallas boasts the league's second-best penalty kill at 85%, while the Islanders have struggled mightily on both the power play (32nd) and penalty kill (31st) this season.
With the Stars playing the second game of a back-to-back and the Islanders looking to restart their playoff push, this cross-conference clash promises to deliver compelling hockey action at UBS Arena.
New York Islanders vs. Dallas Stars prediction: who will win?
For tonight's New York Islanders vs Dallas Stars matchup, our predictive model gives the Stars a 56.67% chance of defeating the Isles.
Pre-game probabilities
Dallas Stars
Moneyline
Win %
56.67%
43.33%
New York Islanders
Dallas Stars: 56.67% win probability
- Strong offensive output (186 goals for, 2nd in Western Conference)
- Excellent recent form (WWLLW in last 5 games)
- High conference standing (2nd place in Western Conference with 74 points)
New York Islanders: 43.33% win probability
- Struggling offense (152 goals scored, 12th in Eastern Conference)
- Poor recent form (LLWLW in last 5 games)
- Below-average defensive record (162 goals against, worse than conference average)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model combines insights from top NHL experts. Instead of sifting through hundreds of expert analyses across the web, you can rely on our predictions to understand the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing predictions, data, and opinions, and our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. We then average these levels to produce an 'expert opinion' win probability—reflecting the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NHL experts..
| New York Islanders | Dallas Stars | |
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New York Islanders vs. Dallas Stars preview
An intriguing interconference matchup takes center stage at UBS Arena as the Dallas Stars face off against the New York Islanders in what promises to be a compelling Sunday night showdown.
The Stars enter this contest riding high after an impressive 8-3 victory over San Jose, showcasing their offensive prowess with Matt Duchene's two-goal performance and maintaining their position as one of the NHL's most formidable teams with a 35-18-2 record.
Meanwhile, the Islanders (25-23-7) are looking to shake off some rust after the break, having dropped three of their last four games, including a disappointing 6-3 loss to Minnesota in their previous outing.
Dallas brings a potent offense averaging 3.17 goals per game and boasts the league's second-best penalty kill at 85%, while the Islanders have struggled on special teams, ranking last in both power play conversion (11.5%) and penalty killing (70.7%).
The Stars will likely turn to Jake Oettinger in net after Casey DeSmith's start in their previous game, though they'll continue to miss key defender Miro Heiskanen, who remains sidelined with a knee injury.
For the Islanders, Ilya Sorokin is expected to get the start between the pipes, bringing his impressive .917 career save percentage into a matchup where he'll need to be at his best to contain Dallas's high-powered offense.
The historical context favors Dallas, who hold a 5-2-3 advantage in the last ten meetings between these teams, including a 3-0 victory in their first encounter this season back in October.
With the Islanders fighting for their playoff lives, currently five points out of the final wild card spot, this game carries significant implications for their postseason aspirations.
Given Dallas's superior offensive capabilities and the Islanders' recent struggles, look for the Stars to capitalize on their momentum and potentially extend their recent success against New York, though the Islanders' rest advantage could prove to be a wild card in this matchup.
New York Islanders vs. Dallas Stars form
New York Islanders vs. Dallas Stars head to head
New York Islanders
33%
Dallas Stars
67%
Oct 13, 2024
Dallas Stars
3 : 0
New York Islanders
Feb 27, 2024
Dallas Stars
2 : 3
New York Islanders
Jan 22, 2024
New York Islanders
3 : 2
Dallas Stars
Jan 11, 2023
New York Islanders
1 : 2
Dallas Stars
Nov 20, 2022
Dallas Stars
5 : 2
New York Islanders
Apr 6, 2022
Dallas Stars
3 : 2
New York Islanders
