The New York Islanders (27-17-5) wrap up a seven-game road trip against the Seattle Kraken (21-18-9) in a cross-conference matchup. The Islanders have been inconsistent lately but boast a strong defensive ranking (3rd in GA/GP at 2.69), while the Kraken are mired in a four-game losing streak with offensive struggles (25th in GF/GP at 2.75) and a weak penalty kill (32nd at 71.9%). With key injuries on both sides, particularly the Islanders missing Bo Horvat, this could be a low-scoring defensive battle decided by goaltending—Ilya Sorokin for New York and likely Joey Daccord for Seattle. Expect the Islanders’ experience to edge out a win unless the Kraken capitalize on home ice.
Venue Location
Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, Washington.
Puckdrop is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. PT).
The Islanders hold a playoff spot in the East, while the Kraken are on the bubble in the West.
Recent Team Forms
New York Islanders: The Islanders are 6-3-1 in their last 10, alternating wins and losses with strong shutout performances but overtime vulnerabilities. They’ve averaged 3.4 goals in wins and held opponents to under 3 in half their recent games.
Key recent results:
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score |
| Jan 20, 2026 | @ Vancouver Canucks | W | 4-3 |
| Jan 17, 2026 | @ Calgary Flames | L | 4-2 |
| Jan 16, 2026 | @ Edmonton Oilers | W | 1-0 |
| Jan 14, 2026 | @ Winnipeg Jets | L | 5-4 |
| Jan 11, 2026 | @ Minnesota Wild | W | 4-3 OT |
| Jan 9, 2026 | @ Nashville Predators | L | 2-1 SO |
| Jan 7, 2026 | vs New Jersey Devils | W | 9-0 |
| Jan 4, 2026 | vs Toronto Maple Leafs | W | 4-3 OT |
| Jan 1, 2026 | vs Utah Mammoth | L | 7-2 |
| Dec 31, 2025 | @ Chicago Blackhawks | W | 3-2 SO |
New York’s form shows defensive resilience (top-3 GA/GP) but inconsistent scoring on the road.
Seattle Kraken: The Kraken are 4-4-2 in their last 10 but on a four-game losing streak, with overtime lapses and allowing 4+ goals in three recent defeats. They’ve averaged 3.5 goals in wins but struggled defensively at home.
Recent results:
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score |
| Jan 19, 2026 | vs Pittsburgh Penguins | L | 6-3 |
| Jan 17, 2026 | @ Utah Mammoth | L | 6-3 |
| Jan 15, 2026 | @ Boston Bruins | L | 4-2 |
| Jan 14, 2026 | @ New Jersey Devils | L | 3-2 OT |
| Jan 12, 2026 | @ New York Rangers | W | 4-2 |
| Jan 10, 2026 | @ Carolina Hurricanes | L | 3-2 |
| Jan 8, 2026 | vs Minnesota Wild | L | 3-2 OT |
| Jan 6, 2026 | vs Boston Bruins | W | 7-4 |
| Jan 5, 2026 | @ Calgary Flames | W | 5-1 |
| Jan 2, 2026 | @ Vancouver Canucks | W | 4-3 SO |
Seattle’s form highlights home struggles (2-3 in last 5) and poor special teams.
Injury Report
New York Islanders:
Bo Horvat (C): Out (Lower Body) – Expected return Jan 24.
Kyle Palmieri (C): IR (Knee) – Expected return Sep 15.
Semyon Varlamov (G): Out (Knee) – Expected return Feb 26.
Pierre Engvall (LW): LTIR (Ankle) – Expected return Oct 10 (season opener).
Casey Cizikas (C): Out (Undisclosed).
The Islanders’ forward depth is tested without Horvat and Palmieri, forcing reliance on Barzal and Lee.
Seattle Kraken:
Max McCormick (LW): Out (Undisclosed) – Expected return Sep 15.
The Kraken are relatively healthy but lack depth scoring without key contributors.
Key
Player Matchups
This game features offensive stars against defensive units, with injuries shifting lineups:
Mathew Barzal (NYI) vs. Chandler Stephenson (SEA): Barzal (11 G, 29 A, 40 P) leads the Isles in points with elite speed and vision (21:04 TOI/G). Stephenson provides two-way play for Seattle; this center matchup could control transitions.
Anders Lee (NYI) vs. Jamie Oleksiak (SEA): Lee (11 G, 17 A, 28 P) thrives in the net-front on the power play (3 PPG). Oleksiak’s size and physicality (high hits/blocks) will aim to neutralize Lee’s scoring.
Anthony Duclair (NYI) vs. Vince Dunn (SEA): Duclair (11 G, 3 PPG) brings speed; Dunn’s offensive defense could create mismatches in the neutral zone.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau (NYI) vs. Jared McCann (SEA): Pageau (8 G, 58.9% FO) excels in face-offs; McCann adds scoring threat for Seattle.
Ilya Sorokin (NYI, G) vs. Joey Daccord (SEA, G): Sorokin (16-11-2, 2.49 GAA, .915 SV%) edges Daccord in efficiency; expect a goaltending duel.
The Islanders’ top lines have an edge, but Seattle’s home defense could force low-event play.
Series History
The Kraken lead the all-time series 6-2-1 against the Islanders in nine regular-season games. New York is 3-4-2 overall, with Seattle holding a 3-1 home edge. Recently, the Islanders won the first meeting this season 1-0 in a shootout on Nov. 23, 2025. Over the last five head-to-heads, three have gone under 5.5 total goals, trending low-scoring.
Betting Trends
Spread: New York is 4-1 ATS as road favorites in last 5; Kraken 3-2 ATS as home underdogs.
Over/Under: Under in 7 of Kraken’s last 10; Over in 4 of Islanders’ last 6 road games.
Other Trends: Islanders 3-6 SU vs. Kraken in last 9; Kraken 2-3 SU in last 5 home games. The under has hit in 6 of last 10 head-to-heads.
Game Odds
New York Islanders – 115
Seattle Kraken 5.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, January 20, 2026
