The New York Islanders face off against the Philadelphia Flyers in a Metropolitan Division rivalry game that could have playoff implications. The Islanders, coming off a tough loss to the Sabres, look to rebound with their structured defense and timely scoring from Mathew Barzal and Brock Nelson. The Flyers, fresh off a convincing win over the Avalanche, aim to build momentum at home with strong goaltending from Samuel Ersson and contributions from Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett. With both teams dealing with injuries—particularly the Islanders missing key defenseman Ryan Pulock—this matchup could hinge on special teams and depth scoring. Expect a gritty, physical contest in front of a raucous United Center crowd, potentially low-scoring if the goaltenders shine.
Venue: Wells Fargo Center (formerly Xfinity Mobile Arena), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM ET (4:00 PM PT)
Broadcast: Available on MSG (Islanders), NBC Sports Philadelphia (Flyers), and NHL Network; streaming via ESPN+
Recent Team Forms
The Islanders have been inconsistent but show flashes of strong play, while the Flyers are building momentum with recent wins.
New York Islanders (Last 5 Games: 3-2-0):
Jan 24 vs. Buffalo Sabres: L 0-5 – Shut out in embarrassing home loss, allowing 5 goals on 28 shots
Jan 21 vs. Seattle Kraken: W 4-1 – Strong defensive effort, Sorokin 25 saves
Jan 18 at Ottawa Senators: W 5-4 – Comeback win with Barzal’s OT goal.
Jan 16 vs. Edmonton Oilers: W 4-2 – Balanced scoring from top lines.
Jan 14 at Philadelphia Flyers: L 2-3 (OT) – Earned a point in tight road game.
Averaging 3.0 goals for and 3.0 against; 6-3-1 in last 10, with improved power play (22%) but vulnerable to high-shot games
Philadelphia Flyers (Last 5 Games: 3-1-1):
Jan 23 vs. Colorado Avalanche: W 7-3 – Offensive explosion, Konecny hat trick
Jan 21 vs. San Jose Sharks: L 1-3 – Offensive struggles, 22 shots only
Jan 19 at Los Angeles Kings: W 2-1 – Ersson’s 30 saves key in low-scoring win.
Jan 15 vs. New York Islanders: W 3-2 (OT) – Late rally sealed victory.
Jan 14 at Ottawa Senators: L 4-5 (OT) – Point earned in extra time.
Averaging 3.2 goals for and 2.8 against; 5-3-2 in last 10, with strong home penalty kill (88%) but inconsistent road form
Injury Report and Suspensions
New York Islanders: Defenseman Ryan Pulock is out with an upper-body injury, expected return Jan 26 or later
Forward Bo Horvat recently returned from lower-body injury
No suspensions reported. Likely starter in net: Ilya Sorokin (.912 SV%).
Philadelphia Flyers: Center Rodrigo Abols is out with an ankle injury
Goaltender Dan Vladar is out with a lower-body injury
Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is out with an upper-body injury
Defenseman Adam Ginning recalled from AHL due to injuries
No suspensions. Likely starter in net: Samuel Ersson (.905 SV%).
Key Player Matchups
This rivalry features exciting clashes between offensive talents and defensive stalwarts.
Mathew Barzal (Islanders C) vs. Sean Couturier (Flyers C): Barzal’s speed and playmaking (20+ assists) vs. Couturier’s shutdown ability; faceoff and transition battle.
Brock Nelson (Islanders C) vs. Travis Konecny (Flyers RW): Nelson’s goal-scoring touch (15+ goals) tests Konecny’s two-way play; net-front presence key.
Noah Dobson (Islanders D) vs. Owen Tippett (Flyers RW): Dobson’s offensive defense (top-10 in points among D) vs. Tippett’s shot volume; power play impact.
Ilya Sorokin (Islanders G) vs. Samuel Ersson (Flyers G): Sorokin’s consistency vs. Ersson’s recent hot streak; goaltending duel in a potential low-scorer.
Series History
The Flyers hold a slight all-time edge in this heated rivalry, but recent games are split. Overall Head-to-Head: Flyers lead 149-132 in 281 regular-season games, with Philadelphia scoring 956 goals to New York’s 915. Recent Games: Flyers 5-4-1 in last 10 vs. Islanders.
Islanders won Jan 15, 2026 (3-2 OT); Flyers won April 8, 2023 (4-0). Flyers 85-49-11 at home vs. Islanders. Trends: Games average 5.8 total goals; 6 of last 10 decided by two goals or fewer; Flyers 4-6 ATS in recent series, with overs in 50%
Betting Trends
Islanders: 3-2 ATS in last 5; under in 4 of last 6 road games; 4-6 ATS as underdogs. Strong against Metropolitan foes (6-4 ATS), but 2-3 ATS on back-to-backs. Flyers: 3-2 ATS in last 5; over in 3 of last 5 home games; 4-1 ATS as home favorites. 3-7 ATS in last 10 vs. Islanders, but strong penalty kill (82%). Series Trends: Islanders 5-5 ATS in last 10 vs. Flyers; over 6 in 4 of 10; home team 6-4 in recent matchups
Game Odds
New York Islanders 5.5
Philadelphia Flyers – 125
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Sunday, January 25, 2026
