The red-hot Florida Panthers roll into UBS Arena looking to extend their impressive run of eight wins in their last ten games, despite missing key players Brad Marchand and Matthew Tkachuk for tonight's matchup.
The Islanders, mired in a three-game losing streak and desperately chasing a wild card spot, will need their struggling power play unit to finally click if they hope to upset the Atlantic Division leaders.
The stage is set for an intriguing Sunday night showdown as the division-leading Panthers (41-22-3) face off against the hungry Islanders (29-28-8) in what could be a season-defining game for the home team.
New York Islanders vs. Florida Panthers prediction: who will win?
For tonight's New York Islanders vs Florida Panthers matchup, our predictive model gives the Panthers a 69% chance of defeating the Isles.
Pre-game probabilities
Florida Panthers
Moneyline
Win %
69%
31%
New York Islanders
Florida Panthers: 69% win probability
- Dominant offensive output (219 goals scored, 3rd highest in Eastern Conference)
- Strong position in standings (3rd place with 85 points in 67 games)
- Consistent winning record (41 wins vs 23 losses, .640 win percentage)
New York Islanders: 31% win probability
- Struggling offense (175 goals scored, 3rd lowest in Eastern Conference)
- Poor recent form (LLLWW in last 5 games)
- Defensive issues (194 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 | Florida Panthers | |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline |
New York Islanders vs. Florida Panthers preview
The red-hot Florida Panthers roll into UBS Arena looking to extend their impressive run against a struggling Islanders squad that's desperate to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Florida's been clicking on all cylinders lately, with Sam Reinhart's 32-goal campaign leading their balanced offensive attack that's seen six players rack up more than 40 points this season.
The Isles have hit a rough patch at the worst possible time - their power play's been ice cold, and they'll need Anders Lee to build on his team-leading 25 goals if they want to snap their three-game skid.
While the Panthers will be playing their second game in as many nights, their depth has been their secret weapon - even with Tkachuk sidelined, guys like Sam Bennett and Aleksander Barkov keep finding ways to make plays.
The goaltending matchup should be fascinating, with Sergei Bobrovsky's steady .907 save percentage going up against Ilya Sorokin, who's looking to bounce back after dropping three of his last five starts.
The Islanders' playoff hopes might hinge on fixing their special teams woes - being dead last in both power play and penalty kill efficiency isn't exactly a recipe for success in March hockey.
Keep an eye on Gustav Forsling, who's been a revelation on Florida's blue line with his league-leading +32 rating, while Bo Horvat needs to step up his game for the Isles with Barzal out of the lineup.
With both teams missing key players and the Panthers potentially feeling some fatigue, this one could come down to which squad better executes the fundamentals in what should be a tight-checking affair at the UBS.
New York Islanders vs. Florida Panthers form
New York Islanders vs. Florida Panthers head to head
New York Islanders
50%
Florida Panthers
50%
Feb 2, 2025
Florida Panthers
6 : 3
New York Islanders
Oct 26, 2024
New York Islanders
3 : 6
Florida Panthers
Mar 28, 2024
Florida Panthers
2 : 3
New York Islanders
Jan 28, 2024
New York Islanders
2 : 3
Florida Panthers
Dec 2, 2023
Florida Panthers
3 : 4
New York Islanders
Dec 24, 2022
New York Islanders
5 : 1
Florida Panthers
