San Jose Sharks vs New York Islanders Prediction and Picks - October 21, 2025
Use Code SSWC Tuesday evening on the NHL ice, and we have a San Jose Sharks vs New York Islanders Prediction locked and loaded for you. The Sharks are still looking for their first win of the year as they come in at 0-5, while the Islanders have won two in a row after losing their first three games of the year. New York is 5-1 the last six in this series. Can San Jose get their first win of the year? Continue reading to see our Sharks vs Islanders prediction.
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Sharks Still Looking For First Win
San Jose enters this matchup still searching for its first win of the season after a 3–0 home loss to Pittsburgh. The Sharks generated 31 shots in that game but couldn’t solve Tristan Jarry, continuing a trend of offensive inconsistency. Through five games, San Jose has scored just 13 goals, ranking near the bottom of the league, while allowing 25 against, leaving them with a -12 goal differential. Their power play has been one of the few bright spots, converting at 27.8%, but at even strength they’ve struggled to sustain pressure. William Eklund and Thomas Bordeleau have shown flashes of creativity, yet the lack of finishing touch has kept the Sharks from capitalizing on opportunities.
Defensively, the Sharks have been overwhelmed. Opponents have averaged nearly 36 shots per game against them, and their goaltending tandem has combined for a save percentage under .870. Yaroslav Askarov, who has taken most of the starts, has faced heavy workloads and has been left exposed by breakdowns in coverage. The blue line, missing stability after offseason departures, has leaned heavily on Mario Ferraro and Shakir Mukhamadullin, but depth remains a glaring issue. Against an Islanders team that thrives on forechecking and creating chaos in the offensive zone, San Jose’s defensive structure will be tested again.
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For the Sharks to stay competitive, they’ll need to lean on their special teams and hope their young forwards can generate quick-strike offense. The power play has been their lifeline, and if they can draw penalties, they may find a way to keep pace. Still, with their defensive lapses and inability to close out games, San Jose faces an uphill climb on the road against a team that just put up five goals in Ottawa.
Islanders Have Won Two In A Row
The Islanders come into this game off a 5–4 road win over Ottawa, a much-needed offensive breakout after a sluggish start to the season. Bo Horvat has been the early catalyst, scoring four goals in five games, while Mathew Barzal and Kyle Palmieri have chipped in with timely production. New York has scored 16 goals through five games, averaging just over three per contest, but their power play has been underwhelming at 15.8% efficiency. Even so, their ability to generate offense at even strength has been encouraging, and their top six looks poised to take advantage of San Jose’s defensive struggles.
Defensively, the Islanders have been less consistent than in past seasons, allowing 19 goals through five games. Ilya Sorokin remains the backbone of the team, but his save percentage has dipped slightly as he’s faced high-danger chances in bunches. The penalty kill has been a concern, operating at just 68.8%, which could be problematic against a Sharks team that has been surprisingly effective with the man advantage. Still, Sorokin’s track record suggests he can stabilize things, and the Islanders’ defensive corps, led by Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock, has the experience to tighten up at home.
The Islanders’ formula for success is straightforward: dictate pace with their forecheck, protect Sorokin by limiting second-chance opportunities, and continue to get production from Horvat and Barzal. Against a San Jose team that has struggled to score at even strength and has been leaky defensively, this matchup sets up as a strong opportunity for New York to secure its first home win of the season. If they can clean up their penalty kill and maintain offensive pressure, the Islanders should be in position to control this game from start to finish.
San Jose Sharks vs New York Islanders Pick
Sharks vs Islanders Moneyline Pick
- New York -1.5 (4 Units)
The Islanders -1.5 on the puckline lines up well given the matchup and the way San Jose has struggled to keep games close. The Sharks have yet to win this season and are carrying a -12 goal differential through just five games, allowing nearly 36 shots per contest while their goaltending has been overwhelmed. That defensive vulnerability plays directly into New York’s strengths, as the Islanders just broke out offensively with five goals against Ottawa and have multiple forwards in form, including Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal. With Ilya Sorokin providing stability in net, New York has the defensive backbone to limit San Jose’s limited scoring threats while giving their offense room to extend the margin.
San Jose’s reliance on the power play to generate offense also makes them a risky underdog in this spot. The Islanders’ forecheck and ability to control possession should limit the Sharks’ chances to draw penalties, forcing them into 5-on-5 situations where they’ve been ineffective. If New York can replicate the offensive pressure they showed in Ottawa and clean up their penalty kill, they’re well-positioned not just to win but to do so comfortably. Given the Sharks’ inability to finish games and their defensive breakdowns, the Islanders covering the puckline feels like the sharper play.
Sharks vs Islanders Over/Under Pick
- Under 6.5 (5 Units)
The Under 6.5 makes sense here given the way both teams have been trending. San Jose has struggled to score at even strength, managing just 13 goals in five games, while the Islanders’ offense has been inconsistent outside of their recent outburst in Ottawa. New York’s defensive structure, anchored by Ilya Sorokin, is built to limit high-danger chances, and San Jose’s lack of finishing touch should keep their output modest. Even with the Sharks’ defensive issues, the Islanders aren’t a team that typically runs up the score, preferring a more controlled, forecheck-heavy style. That combination points toward a game where goals are at a premium and the total stays under 6.5.
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