| MATCHUP | Utah Mammoth | New York Islanders |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 18-19-3 | 22-14-4 |
| Where | UBS Arena, Elmont, NY | |
| When | Thursday, January 1, 2026 | |
| Time | 03:00 PM EST | |
| TV | NHL Net | |
New York Islanders Preview
The Islanders have 48 points this season with a 22-14-4 record, and are 21-19 ATS and 16-24 in over/under. They have a 12-7-2 home record and a 10-7-2 road record and are sitting 2nd in the Metropolitan Division. They are coming off a 3-2 road shootout win over the Blackhawks, and their previous three games were a 4-2 road loss to the Blue Jackets, a 2-0 home win over the Rangers, and a 2-1 home win over the Devils.
Offensively, the Islanders are averaging 2.75 goals per game and are scoring 15.9% of their power play opportunities. Defensively, they are allowing 2.65 goals per game and are killing 82.1% of their opponent’s power plays.
Bo Horvat leads the Islanders with 33 points, also leading the team in goals with 21, while Mathew Barzal leads the team in assists with 20. Ilya Sorokin is the starting goalie for the Islanders, and he has a 12-10-2 record, with 2.55 GAA and .910 SV%. David Rittich is the backup goalie and he has a 10-4-2 record, with 2.27 GAA and .918 SV%.
Utah Mammoth Preview
The Mammoth have 39 points this season with a 18-19-3 record, and are 15-25 ATS and 19-20 in over/under. They have a 9-7-1 home record and a 9-12-2 road record and are sitting 4th in the Central Division. They are coming off a 4-3 home loss to the Predators, and their previous three games were a 1-0 road loss to the Avalanche, a 4-3 home overtime win over the Jets, and a 2-1 home loss to the Devils.
Offensively, the Mammoth are averaging 2.98 goals per game and are scoring 15.4% of their power play opportunities. Defensively, they are allowing 2.90 goals per game and are killing 82.3% of their opponent’s power plays.
Nick Schmaltz leads the Mammoth with 33 points, while Dylan Guenther leads the team in goals with 17, and Clayton Keller leads the team in assists with 21. Karel Vejmelka is the starting goalie for the Mammoth, and he has a 16-10-2 record, with 2.70 GAA and .896 SV%. Vitek Vanecek is the backup goalie and he has a 2-9-1 record, with 2.92 GAA and .879 SV%.
Utah Mammoth @ New York Islanders Betting Trends: January 1, 2026
Why the New York Islanders will win
- The home team has won nine of the Islanders’ last 11 games.
- The Mammoth have lost nine of their last 10 games as underdogs.
- The Mammoth have failed to cover the puck line in 12 of their last 13 games against Metropolitan Division opponents.
- The Islanders have covered the puck line in seven of their last eight home games.
- The Mammoth have lost the third period in each of their last six games against Metropolitan Division opponents when leading after the second period.
Why the Utah Mammoth will win
- The Islanders have lost eight of their last nine games as favorites after coming off overtime.
- The underdogs have won seven of the Islanders’ last eight games at UBS Arena.
- The Islanders have failed to cover the puck line in 11 of their last 12 games as favorites against opponents on a losing streak.
- The underdogs have covered the puck line in 14 of the Islanders’ last 16 games at UBS Arena.
- The Mammoth have won the third period in seven of their last eight road games when leading after the second period.
Total Goals Facts
- Each of the Islanders’ last eight Thursday games as home favorites have gone OVER the total goals line.
- Seven of the Mammoth’s last eight games following a loss have gone OVER the total goals line.
- The ‘Over 1.5 Goals Period 3’ market has hit in each of the Mammoth’s last nine day games.
- The ‘Over 1.5 Goals Period 1′ market has hit in each of the Islanders’ last eight Thursday games.
New York Islanders Player Prop Facts
- Anders Lee has scored at least one goal in each of the Islanders’ last three games as home favorites.
- Mathew Barzal has recorded an assist in each of his last four appearances with the Islanders as home favorites against Central Division opponents.
- Anthony Duclair has recorded two blocks against the Mammoth this season – equal-most against any opponent.
Utah Mammoth Player Prop Facts
- JJ Peterka has scored a goal in four of his last five appearances with his team as an underdog against Metropolitan Division opponents.
- Dylan Guenther has recorded an assist in each of his last four appearances with the Mammoth as underdogs against Metropolitan Division opponents.
- Clayton Keller has recorded at least one shot in each of his last 106 appearances – longest active streak in the league.
Matchup/League Facts
- The New York Islanders rank T5th in the league for goals against per game this season (2.65).
- The New York Islanders rank 28th in the league in power play percentage this season (15.87%).
- Utah Mammoth rank 30th in the league in power play percentage this season (15.38%).
- Utah Mammoth rank 8th in the league in penalty kill percentage this season (82.30%).
Mammoth vs Islanders Prediction
In their previous meeting earlier this season, the Islanders won 3-2 on the road in overtime.
In this Mammoth vs Islanders Prediction, the Islanders are coming as -119 home favorites. The Islanders have been the better team this season and have been strong at home. They are 3-1 in their last 4 games and red-hot at home lately, with a 6-1 record in their last 7 home games. On the flip side, the Mammoth are 1-3 in their last 4 games and have both a weaker defense and goaltending, so I like the value with the hosts in this matchup. Take the Islanders on the moneyline at home in this one.