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Welcome back to another NHL Predictions. Each day, our writers here at Last Word on Hockey look at the games and give in-depth analysis. Our team breaks down the key matchups, storylines, and stats, then makes predictions based on how they might play out. For this edition, we will look at the New York Islanders taking on the Utah Mammoth. Don’t forget to check out more NHL Predictions, as our writers continue this series throughout the 2025-26 season.
Time: 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Location: Delta Center; Salt Lake City, Utah
TV: ESPN+; MSGSN; Utah16
New York has started to trend in the right direction, winning four out of their last six games. Leading the way is Bo Horvat, who’s currently riding a seven-game point streak. The centre is tied for second in the NHL with 12 goals, two behind Nathan MacKinnon. Half of those tallies have come during his point streak. Horvat also leads the Islanders in points with 22 on the year. New York is eighth in the league with 3.35 goals per game and tied for 18th with 3.18 goals against per game. That means they can score, but are also prone to conceding. During this current seven-game stretch, the Islanders scored three or more goals in six of them. The offence is firing on all cylinders, but defence could certainly be their undoing.
Utah will try to return to the way they started the season, which included a seven-game win streak. Scoring and defence have been an issue for the Mammoth recently. If Utah wants to win against a high-scoring Islanders team, they’ll need to play well defensively. A key player for Utah is JJ Peterka, who broke a five-game pointless skid against his former team. He’ll need to start driving the Mammoth offence more often. Utah will need to use its speed to put the New York defence on its heels.
As far as overall stats go, this is a very even matchup. That includes special teams as well. The only two categories that favour one side are faceoff % and shots on goal allowed. The Islanders are the seventh-best team in the faceoff dot (52.9%), while the Mammoth allow the fewest shots on goal at 23.7. New York will need to win draws and generate strong shifts in the offensive zone to break down Utah’s defence. That means cycling the puck and getting it on net. The Mammoth have been in a funk lately, but scoring five goals against the Sabres might mean they’re about to break it. We predict a victory for Utah.
Prediction: Mammoth win 4-3
Based on Fanduel Sportsbook, the Mammoth have the higher odds to win the game at -130. We believe that will hold, with Utah claiming the victory. Although the Islanders can score, the Mammoth defence will stay true to their system and prevent New York from winning. As for any-time goal scorers, Bo Horvat is a safe pick. He has seven goals in the last nine games. As for Utah, we like Nick Schmaltz, who leads the Mammoth in goals with 10 and has scored in back-to-back games. This could go either way, but Utah will likely hold off the Islanders on home ice.
Main photo by: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images
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Joseph Calabrese is an NHL freelance writer for Last Word on Sports. He graduated Montclair State University in 2023 and received a Bachelor of the Arts Degree in Television and Digital Media. As a long-time New York Rangers fan, Joseph hopes to utilize his knowledge to make insightful contributions to the hockey community.
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