The Islanders have continued their highly inconsistent 2024-25 season after their 6-3 win in Toronto before Christmas, losing 7-1 to Buffalo at home (!), beating the Penguins 6-3 at home, and losing the second half of the home-and-home vs. Pittsburgh on the road by a score of 3-2.
In the last meeting with the Islanders, the Leafs gave up two odd-man rush goals inside the first five minutes of the game, putting them heavily behind the eight ball in a tired situation (from which they never recovered). In the last game against the Capitals, the odd-man rush count was 5-1 Washington through 40 minutes as the Leafs again chased the game en route to a regulation loss, their third in their last four games, all of which have seen the team concede four or more goals before additional empty-netters by the opposition.