The New Jersey Devils face the New York Islanders at UBS Arena in their final game before a three-day holiday break. New Jersey aims to rebound from a recent loss while welcoming back key players like Jack Hughes. The matchup features two Metropolitan Division contenders separated by just one point.
The New Jersey Devils (20-15-1) travel to UBS Arena to take on the New York Islanders (19-13-4) on December 23, 2025, marking the Devils' last contest before the holiday pause. New Jersey enters after a loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday but has secured four wins in their last seven games, including a two-game streak against Vegas and Utah.
Several Devils players returned to the lineup against Buffalo, boosting the team's prospects. Jack Hughes, sidelined for five weeks with a finger injury, scored in his comeback, notching his 11th goal of the season and tying Timo Meier for the team lead. Hughes now has 21 points in 18 games, and his goal was the 152nd of his career, tying Brian Gionta for 13th in franchise history. Timo Meier and Arseny Gritsyuk also rejoined the roster.
In the standings, the Islanders hold third in the Metropolitan Division with 42 points, edging the Devils' 41 points and the Wild Card 2 position. Both teams have played 36 games, with New Jersey holding more wins but the Islanders more overtime/shootout points.
The Islanders received mixed injury updates. Forward Bo Horvat practiced in a non-contact jersey on Monday after missing time since December 11 with a lower-body injury, though coach Patrick Roy deemed him doubtful for the game. Goaltender Ilya Sorokin will be sidelined until after the holiday break due to an injury. New York recalled Marcus Hogberg from their AHL affiliate and named David Rittich the starter.
Connor Brown has been a spark for the Devils, scoring three goals in his last five games, including three in four since December 13 against Anaheim. For the Islanders, Anders Lee has tallied seven points in his previous five outings, highlighted by a four-point performance (2 goals, 2 assists) versus Anaheim on December 13.
Injuries plague both sides. Devils: Nemec (undisclosed), Dadonov (upper body), Kovacevic (knee), McLaughlin (undisclosed), MacEwen (upper body). Islanders: Horvat (lower body), Sorokin (undisclosed), Palmieri (knee), Bear (undisclosed), Romanov (shoulder), Varlamov (knee), Engvall (ankle).
The teams met earlier this season on November 10, with New Jersey falling 3-2 in overtime. Upcoming games include January 6 at Islanders and February 5 at home for the Devils. New Jersey struggles when trailing into the third period (0-13-0), while the Islanders are 2-11-1 when down after two. The Devils boast an 11-2-1 record in one-goal games.
