The New Jersey Devils maintain a third-place spot in the Metropolitan Division, while the Pittsburgh Penguins are tied for last with their in-state rival Philadelphia Flyers. The Devils have some concerns, as they have lost six of their past ten games and will be without prized offseason addition Jacob Markstrom for over a month with an injury sustained against the Boston Bruins. The Devils must be weary, as the Columbus Blue Jackets are quickly climbing the standings, and there are some good wild-card teams in the Atlantic Division. The good news for the Devils is they have plenty of success against the Penguins, winning eight of their past nine meetings. It's time to continue our NHL odds series with a Devils-Penguins prediction and pick.
Here are the Devils-Penguins NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Devils-Penguins Odds
New Jersey Devils: -1.5 (+165)
Moneyline: -155
Pittsburgh Penguins: +1.5 (-200)
Moneyline: +130
Over: 6 (-110)
Under: 6 (-110)
How To Watch Devils vs. Penguins
Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
TV: Sportsnet-Pittsburgh, MSGSN2
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Devils Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Devils have been 2-2 since the injury to Markstrom, but some losses without him haven't been encouraging. Losses against the Philadelphia Flyers and Buffalo Sabres show that it won't be easy to pick up wins with their most valuable player out of the lineup this season. However, the loss to the Sabres could be the wake-up call the Devils need, as they allowed 34 shots against the worst team in the Eastern Conference. Even with Markstrom, the Devils prided themselves on tight defense and a willingness to protect the goalie from facing too many shots. If they can return to that against the Penguins, it'll significantly help Jake Allen or Nico Daws.
Why the Penguins Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Penguins enter this game on a two-game winning streak. They defeated the Utah Hockey Club in the last game of their lengthy road trip and shut out the Nashville Predators in their previous matchup. It has been an emergence for Alex Nedeljkovic, who allowed two or fewer goals in three consecutive starts and backstopped the Penguins to two of those victories. Nedeljkovic has been getting the majority of the starts, meaning the question for this game is whether Joel Blomqvist will slide in for a start. The Penguins' chances take a slight dip if it isn't Nedeljkovic.
Allen has started every game for the Devils since Markstrom's injury, but Sheldon Keefe gave Daws some time when Allen struggled in the last game. Keefe could turn to Daws to provide Allen with some rest, which could be a damaging move for the Devils. Daws has an abysmal 5-14-2 record in the American Hockey League this season, and his numbers aren't much better. He owns a 3.40 goals-against average and a .888 save percentage. Daws has never had a goals-against average below three or a save percentage above .900 in parts of three seasons with the Devils.
Final Devils-Penguins Prediction & Pick
This game could be a battle between Blomqvist and Daws, which would be a great sign for the over. However, the over is in play, even if it's Allen and Nedeljkovic. The Devils are highly motivated to resolve their offensive woes, while the Penguins have scored three goals in the past two games. Take these teams to combine for plenty of goals in this matchup.
Final Devils-Penguins Prediction & Pick: Over 6 (-110)