Both the New Jersey Devils and the Calgary Flames are looking to get back in the win column after losing in their respective most recent outings. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our NHL odds series, which includes our Devils-Flames prediction, odds, and pick we have laid out below.

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Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Devils-Flames odds:

NHL odds: Devils-Flames Odds

Devils: +1.5 (+106) (+280)

Flames: -1.5 (-130) (-360)

Over: 6.0 (-118)

Under: 6.0 (-104)

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Why the Devils Could Cover the Spread 

The Devils will have to pick up the pieces quickly after getting shattered by the Vancouver Canucks in a 6-3 road loss Tuesday night. New Jersey just can’t seem to capitalize on the momentum generated after winning a game. Prior to the loss to the Canucks, New Jersey scored a 2-1 shootout victory over the Anaheim Ducks at home last Saturday.

The Devils also recently scored back-to-back victories against the St. Louis Blues and the Colorado Avalanche before getting tripped up by the Winnipeg Jets. But while the Devils are struggling with winning on a consistent basis, they have been regularly succeeding of late in puck possession. In fact, they have not been outshot in any of their last six games.

Since the start of March, New Jersey has posted a 5-on-5 55.8 CF% – seventh-best in the league in that span and even better than Calgary’s 51.9 CF%. The Devils will just have to sustain their effort in trying to win the possession battle and hope that they break through Calgary’s defense. That will largely depend on their top guns, including 2021 NHL Draft first-overall pick Jack Hughes, who scored in the Vancouver game. Hughes has 19 goals this season and three in seven games this March. Meanwhile, Paul Zacha might find himself in a groove later tonight, as he looks to end a four-game goal-less drought. He scored two of the Devils’ three goals in a 5-3 home loss to Calgary last October.

Why the Flames Could Cover the Spread

The Flames have not lost back to back in over two months now and they have zero plans at all of breaking that trend when they go up against New Jersey later tonight. Calgary is coming off a bad 3-0 loss in a high-profile showdown with fellow Stanley Cup contender Colorado Avalanche on the road last Sunday, so the Flames will be coming into this game extra hungry. It was the first time that the Flames were shut out in a game.

The Flames have one of the most robust offenses in the NHL, currently ranked sixth in the league with 3.42 goals for per game, which is why their fans – and bettors – can expect to see the team return to its high-flying ways on offense this Wednesday. For one, defense isn’t really a strength of the Devils, who already tasted a defeat at the hands of Calgary earlier this season, as mentioned earlier. Andrew Mangiapane punished the Devils in that game with two even-strength goals, while the Flames, as a team, went 2/3 on the power play.

It doesn’t have to be Mangiapane again who will batter New Jersey, as the Flames have a wide selection of dangerous scorers, including Elias Lindholm, who leads the team with 30 goals. Including Mangiapane, Calgary already has four 20-goal scorers this season. Perhaps the most-telling factor favoring the Flames in this meeting with New Jersey is their positive polar match in terms of their ability to find High-Danger shots and the Devils’ ineptitude when it comes to taking those kinds of attempts away. Calgary is No. 1 in the NHL in High-Danger Scoring Chances rate (56.2%), while the Devils own the worst opponents’ High-Danger Scoring Chances Goals rate (15.6%).

Final Devils-Flames Prediction & Pick

Goalie Jakob Markstrom gave way to Dan Vladar in the Colorado game and the result was a disaster. Although it wasn’t entirely his fault that the Flames got torched by the Avs, Calgary would have a bigger chance of scoring a win there if Markstrom was working the crease. Well, he’s expected to play tonight agains the Devils, which is why I feel even more confident to pick Calgary to not just win but cover the puck line as well. Markstrom is third in the NHL with a 2.07 GAA and No. 1 with nine shutouts. 

Final Devils-Flames Pick: Flames -1.5 (-130)