Hockey rivalries usually follow a script. You hate the other guys, the games are close, and every point feels like a war. But the New Jersey Devils vs Islanders games this 2025-26 season have gone completely off the rails. If you looked at the box score from their January 6th meeting at UBS Arena, you’d think it was a typo.
A 9-0 blowout.
In the NHL, that doesn't really happen anymore. The league is too balanced, the goalies are too good, and the systems are too tight. Yet, there was Ilya Sorokin, fresh off a lower-body injury, standing on his head to stop 44 shots. On the other end, the Devils—a team with Cup aspirations and a healthy Jack Hughes—basically forgot how to play hockey for sixty minutes.
The 9-0 Nightmare and the Current State of Play
Honestly, the Devils haven't just lost to the Islanders this year; they’ve been haunted by them. New Jersey is currently sitting at a 23-21-2 record. They aren't "bad," but they’re inconsistent as heck. Meanwhile, the Islanders have clawed their way to 25-16-5, sitting comfortably in second place in the Metropolitan Division.
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The head-to-head stats are even grimmer for the folks in Newark. The Islanders lead the season series 3-0.
- November 10: A 3-2 overtime heartbreaker for the Devils.
- December 23: A tight 2-1 defensive battle.
- January 6: The aforementioned 9-0 massacre.
Anthony Duclair turned into prime Wayne Gretzky for a night during that January game, putting up a hat trick and five total points. It was a career high. For the Devils, Jacob Markstrom had one of those nights you just want to delete from your memory. He surrendered goals like he was handing out candy, though to be fair, his defense left him out to dry.
Why the Devils Keep Tripping Up
You've got Jack Hughes back. Nico Hischier is healthy. Jesper Bratt is playing like an All-Star. So what gives?
The problem is the "soft" areas. In that 9-0 loss, the Devils actually outshot the Islanders 44 to 24. Think about that. You put 44 pucks on net and get zero goals, while the other team scores on nearly 40% of their shots. That isn't just bad luck; it’s a total breakdown in high-danger scoring chance management.
New Jersey has struggled with giveaways. They had 20 giveaways in the UBS Arena blowout compared to just 11 for the Islanders. When you give guys like Mathew Barzal and rookie sensation Matthew Schaefer that much room to breathe, they’re going to kill you. Schaefer, by the way, looks like the real deal—the kid has been on a tear, showing exactly why he was the top pick.
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The Goaltending Divide
Goaltending is basically the story of the Metropolitan Division right now. Ilya Sorokin is a wall. He came back from injury and immediately looked like he never left. His .906 save percentage on the season doesn't even do justice to how he plays in these rivalry games.
On the New Jersey side, it’s been a carousel. Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen have both had brilliant stretches followed by total collapses. Markstrom is sitting at a 2.68 GAA, which is respectable, but in the New Jersey Devils vs Islanders matchups, that number balloons. The Devils need "the save"—the one that keeps the momentum from swinging—and they aren't getting it against the Isles.
Key Personnel and the Injury Bug
Injuries have played a massive role in how these teams have matched up. The Devils have lost a lot of "man-games" this year.
- Simon Nemec: The young D-man went on IR in mid-December with a lower-body issue.
- Arseny Gritsyuk: He's been in and out of the lineup.
- Jack Hughes: He missed a chunk of time earlier, and while he's back, the power play (which went 0-for-3 in the last meeting) hasn't quite regained its rhythm.
The Islanders have been luckier, or maybe just sturdier. Getting Sorokin back was the final piece. They play a heavy, suffocating style under Patrick Roy that seems designed specifically to frustrate the high-flying, transition-based game the Devils want to play.
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The Mental Hurdle for New Jersey
At this point, it’s getting psychological. When you lose to a division rival three times in a row—especially when one of those is a historic blowout—it gets in your head. The Devils are a young team. When the Islanders score first, New Jersey tends to press. They start taking risks, cheating on the forecheck, and that’s exactly when the Islanders counter-punch.
Interestingly, the preseason was a totally different story. Back in September, the Devils crushed the Islanders 6-2. But as we know, preseason hockey is a lie. The Devils played their NHL starters against an Islanders "B" squad. It gave fans a false sense of security that hasn't translated to the games that actually matter for the standings.
What to Expect for the February 5th Rematch
The final regular-season meeting is scheduled for February 5, 2026, at the Prudential Center. This is basically the "pride game" for the Devils. They cannot afford to get swept by the Islanders if they want any confidence heading into a potential playoff matchup.
Expect Sheldon Keefe to tighten the screws. The Devils have to stop the cross-seam passes that Duclair and Barzal exploited. If the Devils can’t find a way to beat Sorokin early, it’s going to be another long night in Newark.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
- Watch the First Period: The Islanders have a nasty habit of scoring early against New Jersey. If the Isles get the first goal, the Devils' puck-line becomes a very risky bet.
- Monitor the Defense: If Simon Nemec isn't back for the February game, New Jersey’s bottom pairing will remain a massive liability against the Islanders' cycle game.
- The Sorokin Factor: Always check the morning skate reports. If Sorokin is starting, the "Under" is usually the play, despite the 9-0 outlier. That blowout was a statistical anomaly; usually, these two teams play much tighter, lower-scoring hockey.
- Special Teams: New Jersey’s power play is too talented to stay this cold. Look for them to simplify the man-advantage by putting more traffic in front of Sorokin rather than trying to beat him with clean shots from the perimeter.