The Islanders vs Predators Tuesday matchup sends a New York team missing four regular contributors into Bridgestone Arena to face a Nashville club that has alternated blowout losses with lopsided wins all month. The Islanders (5-4-2) sit fifth in the Metropolitan Division with 12 points, while the Predators (4-3-4) are fifth in the Central with the same point total. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. ET, and the game marks the first meeting of the season between the two clubs.
Islanders Vs. Predators Game Information
- Date: Tuesday, Oct. 27
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Venue: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
- TV/Streaming: ESPN+, MSG2, Scripps Sports
- Series: First meeting of the 2026-27 season
Islanders Outlook
New York enters with a .914 team save percentage and a 2.55 goals-against average, numbers that reflect a defense that has kept most games close despite a thin lineup. The Islanders have also won 54.8% of faceoffs, the best mark between these two teams, which has helped them control possession even on nights when the scoring has been uneven.
The roster is dealing with significant attrition. Mathew Barzal remains on injured reserve with a knee injury and is not expected back until Nov. 7. Matias Maccelli (left lower body) and Calum Ritchie (lower body) are also on injured reserve, with return dates of Nov. 17 and Dec. 1 respectively, and defenseman Alexander Romanov is out long-term following right knee surgery with a target return of April 8.
Semyon Varlamov is projected to start in goal, a role he has filled often during New York’s recent stretch, according to the team’s recent games. Bo Horvat leads the club with 5 goals and 12 points, while rookie Matthew Schaefer paces the team with 8 assists. New York dropped its last outing 6-3 at Dallas on Oct. 25, a game detailed in the team’s preview coverage ahead of that matchup.
Predators Outlook
Nashville has been streaky, alternating losses and wins over its last five games: a 3-2 shootout loss to San Jose, a 5-2 win over St. Louis, a 6-0 shutout loss at Boston, a 3-2 overtime loss at Pittsburgh and a 6-2 win over Colorado on Oct. 26. That inconsistency shows in the Predators’ 3.00 goals-against average and .898 save percentage, both worse than New York’s marks.
Offensively, Nashville has more firepower on paper, with 12 power-play goals compared to New York’s 6 and a team scoring pace fueled by Steven Stamkos, who leads the Predators with 7 goals and 14 points. Roman Josi tops the team with 11 assists. Juuse Saros is projected to start in net for Nashville, coming off a game in which the Predators allowed two goals against Colorado while scoring six.
Key Matchup
Nashville’s power play, which has converted 12 goals this season, against an Islanders penalty kill that has already logged 119 penalty minutes stands out as the matchup to watch. New York’s discipline issues have put its kill unit to the test more often than most opponents face, and Nashville’s man-advantage production is the clearest statistical edge either team holds. If the Predators draw extra chances with the man advantage, Varlamov and the Islanders’ penalty-killing forwards will need to hold up against a group that already has 12 power-play goals to its name. Conversely, New York’s faceoff advantage, nearly five percentage points better than Nashville’s, could help the Islanders limit the offensive-zone time the Predators need to generate those power-play chances in the first place.
What To Watch
Both teams sit in the middle of their respective divisions, and neither has separated from a crowded pack. The Metropolitan Division shows Carolina atop the standings with 20 points, while the Central is led by Minnesota with 18, meaning a win Tuesday carries weight for positioning early in the season. New York’s ability to manage its injury list, with Barzal, Maccelli, Ritchie and Romanov all out, will be a storyline worth tracking as the roster navigates the coming weeks. For more on the Islanders’ injury situation, see the team’s earlier report on its four significant injuries and the call-up of Mitchell Chaffee.
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