by Rod Pearson
Friday, Jan 23, 2026
Game Time: 1:00 pm ET, Saturday, January 24, 2026
Venue: UBS Arena, Elmont, NY
Where to Watch: ESPN+
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Moneyline: Sabres +102, Islanders -122; Over/Under: 6.5 goals
Bet365: Moneyline: Sabres +100, Islanders -120; Over/Under: 6.5 goals
BetMGM: Moneyline: Sabres +100, Islanders -120; Over/Under: 6 goals
Season Record
Buffalo Sabres: 28-17-5 (4th place, Atlantic Division)
New York Islanders: 27-18-5 (3rd place, Metropolitan Division)
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Recent Form
Buffalo Sabres: 7-2-1 last 10
New York Islanders: 5-4-1 last 10
Buffalo Sabres vs New York Islanders Preview and Analysis
The Sabres are entering this game with 61 points, a 28-17-5 record overall, and they are 12-11-2 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off a win against the Montreal Canadiens in their last game, winning that one on the road 4-2. Beck Malenstyn, Peyton Krebs, Zach Benson, and Jason Zucker each scored 1 goal for them in that one. Jack Quinn, Konsta Helenius, Mattias Samuelsson, Noah Östlund, Ryan McLeod, and Tage Thompson each led the team in assists with 1 while Alex Tuch led the team in shots on net in that game with 4. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was the starting goalie in that game and he allowed 2 goals on 34 shots with 32 saves and a .941 save percentage. Their offense has scored 167 goals this season averaging 3.3 goals per game and their defense has allowed their opponents to score 155 goals against them allowing 3.1 goals per game.
The Islanders are entering this game with 59 points, a 27-18-5 record overall, and they are 14-8-2 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off a loss against the Seattle Kraken in their last game, losing that one on the road 4-1. Anthony Duclair scored 1 goal for them in that one. Calum Ritchie and Mathew Barzal each led the team in assists with 1 while Tony DeAngelo led the team in shots on net in that game with 5. Ilya Sorokin was the starting goalie in that game and he allowed 3 goals on 24 shots with 21 saves and a .875 sv percentage. Their offense has scored 146 goals this season averaging 2.9 goals per game and their defense has allowed their opponents to score 141 goals against them allowing 2.8 goals per game.
Sabres vs Islanders Prediction
The current betting odds have the Sabres listed as a slight underdog in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Sabres have looked good in their games this season with their 28-17-5 record overall which has them in the top half of their division in the East. They haven't been a great road team though with their 12-11-2 road record this year. Meanwhile, the Islanders have looked good in their games this season with their 27-18-5 record overall which has them in the top half of their division in the East. They have looked good on home ice too with their 14-8-2 home record this season. They haven't looked that great lately though, going 5-4-1 in their last 10 games, and they are off a loss to the Kraken in their last one. They have looked great defensively this season, but they haven't been scoring a lot of goals, and they just got back from a road trip out West where they were struggling to score the whole trip. The Sabres haven't been the best road team this year, but they have looked a lot better in their road games over the last month. They have also been rolling in their games lately as they are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games and they have some momentum on their side with 2 wins in a row now. The Sabres have been playing better hockey over the last month while the Islanders have been really up and down lately, and this Sabres team is playing with a ton of momentum from being in the playoff race with a real chance to make it. The best way to place a bet here is on the Sabres to win this game.
Sabres Islanders Prediction: Our NHL Pick for Saturday, January 24, 2026 (1:00 pm ET start time) is Sabres 4 Islanders 2.
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NHL Betting Trends
Buffalo Sabres: 51-70 (+4.8 units) on the moneyline as an underdog. 56-48 (+16.8 units) on the moneyline after playing a road game. 29-27 (+8.8 units) on the moneyline when playing against a marginal winning team (Win Pct. 51% to 60%). 9-5 UNDER as an underdog of +100 to +150.
New York Islanders: 39-51 (-30.5 units) on the moneyline as a favorite of -200 or less. 21-27 (-6.5 units) on the moneyline after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game. 62-61 (-12.4 units) on the moneyline against terrible defensive teams - allowing 3+ goals/game. 19-10 UNDER after playing 3 consecutive road games.
Key Injuries
Buffalo Sabres: J. Bryson (D) Day To Day - Upper-body. Z. Benson (LW) Day To Day - Upper-body. J. Norris (C) Out - Ribs. J. Dunne (C) Out - Middle-body. C. Timmins (D) Out - Leg. J. Kulich (C) Out - Ear. J. Danforth (RW) Out - Lower Body.
New York Islanders: B. Horvat (C) Out - Lower Body. K. Palmieri (C) Out - Knee. A. Romanov (D) Out For Season - Upper-body. P. Engvall (LW) Out - Ankle. S. Varlamov (G) Out - Knee.
Notable Quotes
“Unbelievable play. I mean the speed he got, and then to get around (Montembeault).” - Lindy Ruff after his team’s win against the Canadiens in their game on Thursday.
“I think it was our tracking, our backchecking. We gave two goals where we should have backchecked better, and they took advantage of those two goals.” - Patrick Roy after his team’s loss against the Kraken in their game on Wednesday.
Starting Lineups
Buffalo Sabres
LW Josh Doan
C Tage Thompson
RW Alex Tuch
LD Mattias Samuelsson
RD Rasmus Dahlin
G Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
New York Islanders
LW Jonathan Drouin
C Bo Horvat
RW Emil Heineman
LD Matthew Schaefer
RD Scott Mayfield
G David Rittich
Statistical Leaders
Buffalo Sabres
Points: Tage Thompson (52)
Goals: Tage Thompson (26)
Assists: Rasmus Dahlin (29)
GAA: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (2.66)
New York Islanders
Points: Mathew Barzal (41)
Goals: Bo Horvat (21)
Assists: Mathew Barzal (30)
GAA: David Rittich (2.49)
Coaches:
Buffalo Sabres: Lindy Ruff (2nd season)
New York Islanders: Patrick Roy (3rd season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
