The New Jersey Devils are on a roll. That could change on Saturday as they face a team they have been horrific against lately.
New Jersey will battle the New York Islanders on Saturday. Per NewJerseyDevils.com, “The Islanders have won six straight against New Jersey and are 8-0-1 in their last nine meetings.”
That is not what the Devils need in a heated battle to stay within striking distance of the first-place Carolina Hurricanes.
Jersey’s unfortunate trend continued early this season, when the Islanders crushed the Devils 6-0 on Oct. 3. It was New Jersey’s second game of the season, and it continued setting the stage for a rough start.
In their season opener two days earlier, the Devils escaped the Philadelphia Flyers in overtime. They lost two of their next three games after falling to the Islanders before finally settling in.
One month into the season, the Devils and Islanders are drifting apart. The Devils have 22 points and have found ways to avert disaster in their last two games.
As for the Islanders, they have lost four of their last six. Their only wins in that frame have come via overtime or the shootout. In their last two games, opponents outscored them 9-3.
No Excuses For The New Jersey Devils On Saturday
The Devils have won seven of their last eight. While the Islanders have one of the best defensive and goaltending units in hockey — 2.87 goals allowed per game — they have stalled offensively.
With two good goaltenders in Connor Hellebuyck and Jake Allen, the Devils can keep this game close defensively regardless of who starts. As of Saturday morning, Daily Faceoff had Hellebuyck listed as the unconfirmed starter. So, that listing can always change.
In their previous matchup with New York, the Devils rolled with Nico Daws, who is now with the Winnipeg Jets. Daws never did enough to earn the Devils’ trust, which prompted them to give him a fresh start in Manitoba when they traded for Hellebuyck.
A more proven goaltender in the net gives New Jersey a better chance to snap their six-game winless streak against the Islanders. So does their momentum in the offensive zone.
The Devils have put up four or more goals in each of their last three games, including extra goals tallied via shootout.
New Jersey’s Recent Poor Play Against The Islanders At A Glance
The closest the Devils came to beating the Islanders over the past year came on Nov. 10, 2025, almost exactly a year ago. They lost 3-2 when Mathew Barzal scored 1:17 into overtime. In Jan. 2026, the Islanders posted one of their best performances of the season in a 9-0 win over the Devils.
New Jersey ironically played the Islanders well in 2024-25, with each game decided by one goal. They last beat the Islanders on Nov. 9, 2024, when Jack Hughes notched the game-winner with an assist from Dougie Hamilton at 2:35 in overtime.
New Jersey won that game 4-3. Given how much the 2026-27 Islanders have struggled so far to find the net, four goals could be enough for the Devils to beat them. With better netminding in place, it further increases New Jersey’s chances.
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