The struggling Anaheim Ducks welcome the New York Islanders to Honda Center on Sunday night, with both teams desperately seeking points to keep their fading playoff hopes alive in a matchup of two of the NHL's lowest-scoring offenses.
While the Ducks aim to snap their two-game losing streak behind Lukas Dostal's solid goaltending (2.88 GAA, .910 save percentage), the Islanders face the added challenge of playing their second game in 24 hours without recently-traded veteran Brock Nelson.
The Honda Center crowd will see if the home team Ducks can repeat their early-season success against the away team Islanders, whom they defeated 3-1 in their October meeting in New York.
Anaheim Ducks vs. New York Islanders prediction: who will win?
For tonight's Anaheim Ducks vs New York Islanders matchup, our predictive model gives the Ducks a 65% chance of defeating the Isles.
Pre-game probabilities
Anaheim Ducks
Moneyline
Win %
65%
35%
New York Islanders
Anaheim Ducks: 65% win probability
- Strong home ice advantage (27 wins at Honda Center this season)
- Better goal-scoring output (165 goals for vs Islanders' 172)
- More consistent recent form (LLWLW vs Islanders' fluctuating performance)
New York Islanders: 35% win probability
- Poor road record (13 away losses this season)
- Defensive struggles (184 goals against, ranking 13th in Eastern Conference)
- Lower points total (65 points in 62 games vs Ducks' 61 in 62 games despite easier conference)
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..
| Anaheim Ducks | New York Islanders | |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline |
Anaheim Ducks vs. New York Islanders preview
The struggling Islanders head to Honda Center for a cross-conference clash with the Ducks, both teams desperate to keep their fading playoff hopes alive.
Fresh off trading veteran center Brock Nelson to Colorado, the Isles' already-tepid offense faces an uphill battle, having scored more than three goals just once in their last dozen games.
The Ducks, who grabbed a 3-1 win in their October meeting, will lean heavily on netminder Lukas Dostal - he's been their bright spot lately, giving up just 11 goals in his last five starts.
Both teams' power-play units have been ice cold this season - they're sitting at the bottom of the league with conversion rates below 13%, which could make for a tight-checking affair.
The Islanders might turn to rookie goalie Jakub Skarek for this one, adding an interesting wrinkle to what's already shaping up as a defensive battle.
Keep an eye on how the Isles adjust without Nelson's offensive punch - they've already been struggling to find the back of the net, ranking 27th in goals per game.
The Ducks' home stand hasn't exactly gone to plan, dropping their last two, but they've shown flashes of potential even in defeat.
With both teams fighting for their playoff lives and neither lighting up the scoreboard lately, expect a chess match rather than a shootout at Honda Center.
Anaheim Ducks vs. New York Islanders form
Anaheim Ducks vs. New York Islanders head to head
Anaheim Ducks
17%
New York Islanders
83%
Oct 29, 2024
New York Islanders
1 : 3
Anaheim Ducks
Mar 11, 2024
Anaheim Ducks
1 : 6
New York Islanders
Dec 14, 2023
New York Islanders
4 : 3
Anaheim Ducks
Mar 16, 2023
Anaheim Ducks
3 : 6
New York Islanders
Oct 15, 2022
New York Islanders
7 : 1
Anaheim Ducks
Mar 13, 2022
New York Islanders
4 : 3
Anaheim Ducks
