New Jersey Devils vs New York Islanders Picks & Predictions for Tuesday, January 6, 2026
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The New Jersey Devils head to UBS Arena to face the New York Islanders on Tuesday night, with puck drop set for 7:30 PM ET on ESPN+/Hulu. New Jersey comes in at 22-18-2 (11-10-0 away), while the Islanders sit at 23-15-4 overall and 13-8-2 at home. With a tight moneyline and a low total, this matchup is a strong candidate for your nightly card of free NHL picks.
New Jersey Devils: Low-Scoring Profile, Leaning on Goaltending
New Jersey’s season profile is pretty clear: they’re trying to win games with structure first, not shootouts on the scoreboard. The Devils average 2.64 goals per game, and when they fall behind early, they’re not built to simply “trade chances” back into it. Over their last five, New Jersey is 2-3, with wins over Utah and Columbus, but also a 4-0 loss at Toronto and a 3-1 loss at home in their most recent outing.
The Devils’ path here is to keep this game in the mud: limit clean looks, avoid penalties, and let their goaltending carry weight. Stat-wise, their main options in net include a steadier performer (2.55 GAA / .913 SV%) and another who’s been more volatile (3.20 GAA / .888 SV%). If they get the stronger version of that position, New Jersey can absolutely win a 2-1/3-2 type of game.
Injury-wise, New Jersey is dealing with at least one forward on IR, which matters because their offence already runs “thin” on most nights.
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New York Islanders: Stronger Home Form, Similar Game Script
The Islanders play a similar brand—measured pace, fewer freebies, and a preference for games that stay tight into the third period. New York averages 2.76 goals per game with a 2.76 goals-against average, so the numbers basically scream “coin-flip hockey” most nights. Over their last five, the Islanders are 3-2, including an overtime win over Toronto and a shutout win over the Rangers. The one real blemish is that occasional defensive wobble (like the 7-2 loss to Utah), but they’ve generally been the more consistent of these two teams recently.
Goaltending has been a plus overall: one option sits at 2.55 GAA / .910 SV% with three shutouts, and the other has been very usable as well (2.48 GAA / .907 SV%). In a 5.5 total game, that’s exactly what you want backing the home side.
New York’s injury report is a bit more meaningful: they’ve got a key centre listed out, plus another forward on IR, and a defenceman day-to-day. That’s important because it can flatten their scoring ceiling—but it also reinforces the likelihood they play a conservative, low-event style.
Points To Consider
This matchup sets up as a slow-burn, one-goal type game. Neither team scores at a high rate, both rely heavily on their defensive shape, and both have goaltending capable of dictating outcomes. Also worth noting: the Islanders have had the upper hand in the season series (leading 2-0), which matters in these “mirror matchup” games where familiarity tends to reduce chaos.
If special teams stay quiet and the first period doesn’t turn into a track meet, the Under stays live deep into the game.
New Jersey Devils vs New York Islanders Prediction
From a betting perspective, I’m leaning Islanders moneyline (+105) as the value side at home, largely because New York has been more stable recently and has already shown they can handle this matchup style. On the total, Under 5.5 (-112) fits the way both teams are built—two below-average offences, two teams comfortable turning this into a grind, and enough goaltending on both sides to keep finishing at a premium.
If you want the safer puck-line angle, Islanders +1.5 (-258) is the “don’t lose by 2” protection, but the price is steep—so I’d rather play the moneyline and pair it with the Under.
Final Score Prediction: Islanders 3, Devils 2
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