Faceoff is scheduled for 6:45 PM ET (start time adjusted from original 7:00 PM slot)
Venue: UBS Arena, Elmont, New York (home of the Islanders; capacity ~17,000)
Broadcast: ESPN+/Hulu (U.S.); available via NHL streams internationally.
This late-season matchup pits two Eastern Conference teams with contrasting trajectories but shared recent struggles. The Islanders sit higher in the standings and hold home-ice advantage in their final regular-season home games, while the injury-ravaged Maple Leafs are fighting to avoid a season-series sweep. Both clubs enter with poor recent form, making this a high-stakes, low-scoring affair likely.
Recent Team Forms (Last 5–10 Games)
Maple Leafs (roughly .400 winning percentage lately; road-heavy schedule has hurt them):
Apr 5: L 7-6 (OT) @ LA Kings
Apr 3: L 4-1 @ San Jose Sharks
Mar 31: W 5-4 (OT) @ Anaheim Ducks
Mar 28: L 5-1 @ St. Louis Blues
They are 2-2-1 in their last 5 and have dropped 3 of 4 on this current Western road trip swing. Offense has been sporadic without their captain.
Islanders (season-high 4-game losing streak; 1-4-0 or worse in recent stretch):
Apr 4: L 4-3 @ Carolina Hurricanes
Apr 3: L 4-1 vs. Philadelphia Flyers
Mar 31: L 4-3 @ Buffalo Sabres
Mar 30: L 8-3 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
They are 3-7-0 in their last 10 and have been outscored badly in several outings. Defensive lapses and goaltending variance have been issues despite Ilya Sorokin’s usual reliability.
Injury Report (as of April 8–9, 2026)
Maple Leafs (significant absences hurting depth):
Auston Matthews (C) – Out for season (knee surgery, Mar 19)
Chris Tanev (D) – Out for season (abdomen/core muscle surgery)
Brandon Carlo (D) – Day-to-day (lower body; out until at least Apr 11)
Dakota Joshua (C) – Day-to-day (upper body; out until at least Apr 11)
Anthony Stolarz (G) – Day-to-day (lower body; questionable)
Oliver Ekman-Larsson (D) – Day-to-day (lower body, recent absence)
Islanders (fewer long-term hits but key pieces sidelined):
Kyle Palmieri (RW) – Out for season (knee)
Semyon Varlamov (G) – Out for season (knee)
Alexander Romanov (D) – Out until at least Apr 14 (shoulder)
Tony DeAngelo (D) – Day-to-day (lower body)
Pierre Engvall (LW) – Out for season (ankle)
The Leafs are especially thin up front and on the blue line, forcing younger or call-up players into bigger roles.
Key Player Matchups
Top-Line Forwards: William Nylander (TOR, ~73 points) & Mitch Marner vs. Mathew Barzal (NYI, ~70 points) & Bo Horvat (NYI, 30G/55P). Barzal has been a playmaker against Toronto (3 assists in the Mar 17 win).
Veteran Center Battle: John Tavares (TOR, 30G/68P – emotional return to UBS Arena, his former home) vs. Horvat. Tavares remains a scoring threat despite the team’s slump.
Goaltending: Likely Joseph Woll or a healthy Stolarz (if available) for Toronto vs. Ilya Sorokin (NYI). Sorokin has been stellar in prior matchups (e.g., 26/27 saves in the 3-1 win on Mar 17).
Defensive/Secondary: Islanders’ younger contributors like Simon Holmstrom (hot streak, ~20 goals) and Calum Ritchie could exploit Toronto’s depleted D corps. Leafs will lean on Nylander-Marner chemistry to generate chances.
Series History
2025-26 Season: Islanders lead 2-0 (Jan 4: 4-3 OT win at UBS Arena; Mar 17: 3-1 win in Toronto). Toronto is looking to avoid the season sweep.
All-Time: Roughly even (Islanders hold a slight historical edge overall, ~95-88-7-3 in regular season). Islanders are 6-2 in the last 10 meetings and have won 60%+ of home games vs. Toronto recently.
Betting Trends
Islanders are 3-2 ATS in last 5 games but just 2-3 straight up. Maple Leafs are poor on the road (14-19-6) and 0-2 vs. NYI this year. Over has hit in several recent Islander games due to defensive issues, but both teams’ recent form suggests a tighter, lower-scoring contest. Islanders have covered well at home against Toronto historically.
Game Odds
Toronto Maple Leafs 6.5
New York Islanders – 245
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Wednesday, April 8, 2026
