This Ducks vs. Islanders prediction starts in the crease, where the gap between the two goaltenders is the biggest input on the board Tuesday night. Anaheim arrives at UBS Arena on the second night of a back-to-back, one day after a 5-2 loss at Madison Square Garden. New York is a -155 home favorite with a total of 6.0. Below, we break down the goaltending, the schedule spot and the injury news before landing on two plays.
Last Updated: October 20, 2026
Anaheim Ducks vs. New York Islanders — Game Info
| Where | UBS Arena, Elmont New York |
| When | October 20 – 7:00 PM ET |
| TV | MSG Sportsnet, KCOP-13 |
Anaheim Ducks vs. New York Islanders Betting Preview
Lukas Dostal is set to start for Anaheim, according to the Associated Press. Ville Husso handled Monday’s game against the Rangers, which gave Dostal an extra night of rest. Dostal has not found his form yet. He is 3-3-0 with a 3.17 goals-against average and a save percentage below .890 through six starts.
New York has not named its starter. Ilya Sorokin is the projected choice and the clear form leader in this matchup. He is 4-2-0 with a 1.68 goals-against average, a .940 save percentage and a shutout. He allowed only one goal in Saturday’s 4-1 win in Toronto and comes in on two days of rest. Semyon Varlamov is the alternative. Treat every read below as provisional until the Islanders confirm their goaltender.
The Ducks are 4-4-0 and have lost three straight, scoring exactly two goals in each defeat. Monday’s loss followed a delay-filled trip of roughly 15 hours from California. The team did not reach its hotel until 2:30 a.m. Still, Anaheim’s power play has been a strength, converting 7 of 29 chances for 24.1%. The Ducks are also 3-1-0 on the road. They play without Troy Terry, Ryan Poehling and defenseman Ian Moore.
The Islanders are 4-3-1 with points in three straight games, and they are 3-1-0 at home. Defense has carried them. New York has allowed just 17 goals in eight games, not counting the shootout. The attack is the concern. Matias Maccelli and Cal Ritchie both left Saturday’s game with lower-body injuries and will miss at least a week. Mathew Barzal remains out with a knee injury and no timetable, and defenseman Alexander Romanov is on injured reserve with a torn ACL. Mitchell Chaffee was recalled from AHL Hamilton to fill a fourth-line spot. Meanwhile, New York’s power play is just 4-for-24.
This is the first meeting of the season. The teams split last season’s series, and each won on home ice by at least three goals. The Islanders won 5-2 on Long Island in December, and Anaheim answered with a 5-1 win in March.
Neither team has controlled play on the shot clock. Anaheim has been outshot 214-199 through eight games, while New York trails 211-199. That matters for this handicap. Both teams have leaned on finishing and goaltending rather than territorial edges. For the Islanders, that recipe has worked because Sorokin has stopped nearly everything. For the Ducks, it has been shakier, since Dostal has not supplied the same cover.
Anaheim Ducks vs. New York Islanders Odds
| Puck Line | Moneyline | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ducks | +1.5 (-185) | +133 | O 6.0 (-108) |
| Islanders | -1.5 (+160) | -155 | U 6.0 (-112) |
Odds accurate as of October 20, 2026 via TheSpread.com. Odds change, get the latest NHL Odds – Futures – Props
Anaheim Ducks vs. New York Islanders — Who Is the Public Betting?
| Ducks | 80% | 20% | Islanders |
See the latest NHL Public Betting Splits and make smarter wagers!
Ducks vs. Islanders Prediction — Can Anaheim Solve a Defense That Has Allowed 17 in Eight?
The strongest read here is about volume, and it starts with New York’s goaltending and structure. Sorokin’s .940 save percentage is a season-long pattern, not a single hot night. As a group, the Islanders have given up just over two goals per game. Their attack is also thinner tonight. Losing Maccelli and Ritchie removes two regular forwards, and a power play converting at 16.7% is not built to punish Anaheim. Islanders games have averaged about 5.1 total goals across eight outings.
Anaheim’s situation points the same way. The Ducks have scored two goals in each of their last three games. Now they play a second night in a row after a draining trip. The market has drifted in this direction too. The number on the total has held since it opened, but the pricing has shifted toward the low side overnight. No public split on the total is available to show whether that move ran against the crowd. So it counts as mild confirmation rather than a sharp signal.
The risk is real, however. Dostal’s form invites Islanders goals, and an Anaheim power play near 24% can steal one or two. Empty-net goals matter as well. A trailing team pulling its goalie late can turn a quiet one-goal game into a two-goal finish. And if Varlamov starts instead of Sorokin, this read weakens.
The Pick: Under 6.0 (-112)
Ducks vs. Islanders Prediction — What Does a 15-Hour Trip and a Back-to-Back Cost Anaheim?
This read leans on the schedule. Anaheim played Monday at Madison Square Garden after a travel day that ran about 15 hours. New York last played Saturday and gets two full days of rest at home. The goaltending gap is the larger driver, provided Sorokin starts as projected. That shared dependence matters. This play and the first one rest on the same goaltender, so they are not independent reads. The first goal has also mattered for New York. According to the team’s own game notes, the Islanders are 4-0-1 when they score first and 0-3-0 when they do not. If you want more on how Anaheim got here, our Ducks vs. Rangers preview covered Monday’s spot.
The market tempers confidence. Ticket counts lean heavily toward New York to win in the early count, yet New York’s price has not moved from its opening number. A freeze under one-way action can hint at quieter money on the other side. In addition, the price asks for roughly a 61% win probability, which leaves only a modest margin. A two-goal win is harder to trust from a lineup missing three injured forwards. On the other side, Anaheim has been better on the road, and Dostal is rested.
The Pick: Islanders Moneyline (-155)
Our Final Word on Ducks vs. Islanders
Everything here turns on New York’s goaltender confirmation. Sorokin has allowed fewer than two goals per game across six starts, and the Islanders have been just as stingy in front of him. Anaheim has the better power play, but it arrives tired and cold. For more on New York’s recent form, see our Islanders vs. Senators preview from last week.
Our top play is Under 6.0 (-112) on the full-game total, built on Sorokin’s projected start behind a defense allowing 17 goals in eight games. Our second play is the Islanders on the full-game moneyline (-155), backed by a rested home team against a Ducks club on a back-to-back.
NHL Ducks vs. Islanders FAQ: October 20, 2026
What time does the Ducks vs. Islanders game start?
The Ducks and Islanders face off at 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, October 20, at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. It is the first of two straight home games for the Islanders and the second stop on a four-game road trip for Anaheim, which played the Rangers on Monday night.
What channel is the Ducks vs. Islanders game on?
The game airs on MSG Sportsnet, the Islanders’ regional network, in the New York market. In the Anaheim market, the Ducks’ broadcast is carried on KCOP-13. Viewers should check their local listings, since regional coverage depends on where they live.
Who won the last meeting between the Ducks and Islanders?
Anaheim won the last meeting 5-1 at home on March 4, 2026. That result split last season’s series after the Islanders won 5-2 at UBS Arena on December 11, 2025. Tuesday’s game is the first meeting between the teams this season.
What are the Ducks’ and Islanders’ records this season?
The Islanders are 4-3-1 and have earned points in three straight games, including a 3-1-0 mark at home. The Ducks are 4-4-0 after three straight losses, though they are 3-1-0 on the road. Anaheim’s most recent defeat was a 5-2 loss to the Rangers on Monday.
Is Mathew Barzal playing tonight?
No. Mathew Barzal remains out as he recovers from an aggravated knee injury, and the Islanders have not set a timetable for his season debut. He was shut down shortly before the regular season and has only recently resumed skating on his own.