The New York Islanders and Washington Capitals will meet on Halloween night in the NHL on Friday night. The Caps are playing better hockey overall and won the first meeting between these teams this season. But the Isles will have revenge on their minds going into this Eastern Conference contest. Before the action begins in Washington, continue reading to get my Islanders vs Capitals prediction.
Our Islanders vs Capitals Pick
- Pick: Washington Capitals to win -1.5
- Confidence: ★★★★☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: New York Islanders @ Washington Capitals
- Date & Time: Friday, October 31, 2025, 7:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.
- Broadcast: NHL Network
Key Storylines
Recent form
The Capitals enter this contest with a 6‑4‑0 record. They’ve lost two games in a row but are heavy favorites to bounce back and get into the win column tonight. Washington’s defense has been a strength, limiting opponents to just 2.2 goals per game. They will try to use that to shut down the Islanders in this contest.
The Islanders are in the midst of a three-game losing streak and are 4‑5‑1 on the season so far. They’ve been solid offensively, averaging 3.40 goals per game. But they’ve been porous defensively, allowing 3.80 goals per game. All three games during their current losing streak have come on the road and they will try to get a rare road win on Halloween night.
Goaltending
Logan Thompson has been one of the best goaltenders in the league so far this season. The Capitals’ netminder is 5-2-0 on the year and has a stellar 1.44 GAA. Islanders starter Ilya Sorokin has a 3.75 GAA but could sit out this game on the second leg of a back-to-back for the Isles.
Key skaters
Capitals forwards like Tom Wilson (5 goals, 11 points) and Aliaksei Protas (4 goals, 5 assists) are carrying their offensive from a production standpoint. Protas is emerging as a major factor, with a recent two‑goal game against the Islanders showing that he is able to help his team gain the upper hand against this particular opponent.
Leadership for the Islanders comes from Bo Horvat (6 goals) and Mathew Barzal (6 assists). But depth has been an issue for the Isles throughout the season so far and they will try to find answers in that department starting with this game.
Best Player Props
| Player | Prop |
|---|---|
| Aliaksei Protas (WSH) | Over 0.5 Goals |
| Tom Wilson (WSH) | Over 1.5 Points |
| Bo Horvat (NYI) | Over 0.5 Points |
Betting Trends & H2H
- Washington defeated the Islanders 4-2 on the road in their first meeting of this season.
- The Isles are 4-5 on the puckline so far this season.
- Washington is 5-5 on the puckline through its first 10 games.
- The Islanders have gone 8-1 to the over this year.
- Washington is 4-6 on its over/unders thus far.
Islanders vs Capitals Model Projection
Score Projection: Washington Capitals 4 – New York Islanders 2
Win Probability: Washington 71% | New York 29%
Final Thoughts
I am going to take the Capitals to win and cover the puckline as a favorite at home tonight. The Caps should shake off their recent struggles against an Islanders team that has been a disaster on the road of late. Look for Wilson to produce again for the Caps and for them to win by two or more goals on Halloween.
