Islanders, Senators Clash in Pivotal Eastern Conference Matchup

OTTAWA, Ontario (Interstat) — A crucial late-season Eastern Conference clash is set for Thursday night as the New York Islanders visit the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre.

The Islanders (39-29-0) enter with a five-point edge over the Senators (34-32-0) in the standings, making this a potential swing game in the playoff race. New York is riding momentum from a 3-1 road victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, while Ottawa last played Sunday, defeating the San Jose Sharks 7-4.

A key matchup will feature Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin against Senators forward Michael Amadio. Sorokin has been stellar, posting a 4-2-0 record in his last six starts with a .934 save percentage, including 26 saves in the win over Toronto. He will be tasked with slowing Amadio, who has been a consistent offensive contributor for Ottawa with three goals and four assists in his last eight games.

The teams last met on Oct. 18, 2025, a 5-4 Islanders victory. New York has found recent success in close games, with four of their last eight wins coming in overtime. Ottawa, however, has been strong on home ice, winning four of their last five at Canadian Tire Centre, outscoring opponents 22-10 in those victories.

Islanders center Mathew Barzal, who had three assists against Toronto, will look to drive New York’s offense. Ottawa will counter with a balanced attack that saw seven goal scorers in the rout of San Jose.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, the projected final score is Ottawa 4, New York Islanders 3.

The Islanders continue a road trip in Montreal on Saturday. Ottawa hosts the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday in another critical divisional game.