The red-hot Washington Capitals arrive at UBS Arena looking to shake off their recent 5-1 loss to the Hurricanes, bringing the NHL's top-scoring offense (270 goals) against an Islanders team that's struggled with special teams all season.
With Charlie Lindgren likely guarding the net for the visiting squad and Ilya Sorokin expected between the pipes for the home team, goaltending could make all the difference in a matchup where the Capitals have dominated offensively while the Islanders have struggled to find consistency.
The New York Islanders face an uphill battle against a Washington Capitals team that's been lighting up scoreboards across the league, but UBS Arena might just provide the spark needed for an upset.
New York Islanders vs. Washington Capitals prediction: who will win?
For today's New York Islanders vs Washington Capitals matchup, our predictive model gives the Caps a 70% chance of defeating the Isles.
Pre-game probabilities
Washington Capitals
Moneyline
Win %
70%
30%
New York Islanders
Washington Capitals: 70% win probability
- League-leading position (1st in Eastern Conference with 107 points)
- Impressive win record (49 wins in 76 games played)
- Strong offensive production (276 goals scored, ranking among the highest in the league)
New York Islanders: 30% win probability
- Poor recent form (WLLLL showing inconsistency)
- Defensive struggles (230 goals against, significantly higher than top teams)
- Lower standing position (12th in Eastern Conference with only 76 points)
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 | Washington Capitals | |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline |
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New York Islanders vs. Washington Capitals preview
The struggling Islanders (32-32-10) face a daunting challenge this Sunday as they host the league-leading Capitals (48-18-9) at UBS Arena in what could be described as a David vs. Goliath matchup in the Eastern Conference.
Washington enters the contest with a lethal offense that's tallied 270 goals (tops in the NHL) this season, though they'll be looking to bounce back from an uncharacteristic 5-1 drubbing by the Hurricanes.
The Isles, fresh off a disappointing 4-1 loss to Tampa Bay, have been absolutely dreadful on the power play—converting at a league-worst 12.37% rate with just 23 goals on 186 chances this season.
Keep an eye on the goaltending battle between Ilya Sorokin, who despite the Islanders' mediocre record boasts a career .916 save percentage, and Washington's Charlie Lindgren who's compiled a solid .563 quality start percentage throughout his NHL tenure.
Special teams could determine this one, with the Capitals' power play clicking at an impressive 22.17% while New York's penalty kill sits at a concerning 73.01%.
Sunday's showdown feels like a potential mismatch on paper, but UBS Arena could provide the spark needed for the home team to pull off what would be a significant upset against the Stanley Cup contenders.
I'd bet my lucky puck that Caps coach will emphasize discipline after his team racked up 74 penalty minutes in their last outing—something that could give the Islanders a fighting chance if they can somehow fix their power play woes.
Given Washington's offensive firepower and New York's defensive struggles, this one might get ugly for the home crowd unless Sorokin stands on his head between the pipes.
New York Islanders vs. Washington Capitals form
New York Islanders vs. Washington Capitals head to head
New York Islanders
33%
Washington Capitals
67%
Nov 29, 2024
Washington Capitals
5 : 4
New York Islanders
Dec 30, 2023
New York Islanders
5 : 1
Washington Capitals
Dec 21, 2023
Washington Capitals
3 : 2
New York Islanders
Nov 12, 2023
New York Islanders
1 : 4
Washington Capitals
Nov 2, 2023
Washington Capitals
0 : 3
New York Islanders
Apr 10, 2023
Washington Capitals
5 : 2
New York Islanders
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