Metropolitan Division foes will square off in Washington on Monday night, as the New York Islanders visit the Washington Capitals. New York has played well of late and has worked their way into the top three in the Metro. Washington returns home off a gritty pair of wins and will try to earn a third straight victory here. Before the action begins from Washington, continue reading to get my Islanders vs Capitals prediction in the NHL.
Our Islanders vs Capitals Pick
Islanders Moneyline ATS PRO
Confidence: ★★★☆☆
Game Snapshot
Matchup: New York Islanders vs Washington Capitals
Date & Time: Monday, February 2, 2026, 7:00 p.m. Eastern
Venue: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
Broadcast: ESPN+
Key Storylines
Recent form
The Islanders had a three-game winning streak snapped in their last game, losing 4-3 at home to the Nashville Predators. Before that, the Isles swept a two-game home-and-home series with the New York Rangers and got a 4-0 shutout win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Capitals have earned at least a point in four of their last five games. They have won two straight games in either overtime or a shootout, defeating the Carolina Hurricanes and Detroit Red Wings after regulation.
Goaltending
New York: Ilya Sorokin carries a .916 save percentage and is fresh off his sixth shutout of the season. He remains a key edge for the Isles, especially in low-scoring games.
Washington: Logan Thompson is day-to-day and Charlie Lindgren is on IR, which has opened the door for Clay Stevenson, who has been recalled from Hershey. Stevenson earned his first NHL start and got a dramatic overtime win over Carolina, but this remains a thin position group on short rest.
Key skaters
Islanders leaders: Mathew Barzal paces the team with 46 points on 14 goals and 32 assists. Bo Horvat sits at 21 goals and is rebuilding his timing after returning from injury. Jean‑Gabriel Pageau’s shorthanded impact showed up in the shutout win over the Flyers.
Capitals leaders: Tom Wilson has 22 goals and 47 points, and Alex Ovechkin is at 46 points with 22 goals. John Carlson continues to make important plays with 35 assists. Pierre‑Luc Dubois has missed time, which has nudged depth pieces into larger roles.
Betting Trends & H2H
Washington leads the season series between these teams 2-1.
This is the final regular-season game between these teams this year.
The Islanders are 15-10-3 on the road so far this season.
Washington is an identical 15-10-3 on their home rink this year.
Islanders vs Capitals Model Projection
Score Projection: New York Islanders 3 – Washington Capitals 2
Win Probability: New York Islanders 53%, Washington Capitals 47%
Final Thoughts
Goaltending should be what decides this contest from Washington. The Islanders have a healthy starter in net and that should make the difference against a Capitals team whose top two choices are banged up at that position. I'll take the Islanders to win this contest on the moneyline in what I'm expecting to be a close game on Monday night.
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