The Penguins visit Newark, New Jersey to take on the Devils. Welcome back to a Saturday edition of NHL Predictions here with Last Word On Hockey! Each day, we provide in-depth analysis, insights, and predictions for all the NHL’s games. In today’s matchup, the New Jersey Devils host the Pittsburgh Penguins in a Metropolitan meeting.
NHL Predictions New Jersey Devils vs Pittsburgh Penguins
Head-to-Head: Devils 0-0 Penguins
Time: 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
How to Watch TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh; MSGSN; Sportsnet
Sidney Crosby and the Penguins take on Jack Hughes and the Devils in a rivalry matchup for the top spot in the NHL’s Metropolitan Division.
The Penguins Story
Following back-to-back disappointing losses to the Winnipeg Jets and Toronto Maple Leafs, the Penguins finally got back in the win column against the Washington Capitals on Thursday. Playing at home, Pittsburgh beat Alex Ovechkin and his Capitals 5-3. This game, however, continued a worrying trend of allowing scoring chances and blowing leads after building up a lead. Like the game against Toronto, Pittsburgh went up 3-0 on the Capitals, only to allow three unanswered goals in the second period. Fortunately for the Penguins, Bryan Rust would notch a power play goal in the third to retake the lead in the eventual win.
Although the defence has been an issue, special teams have been a salvation for the Penguins. Pittsburgh scored three goals on the power play, boosting their power play to the top unit in the entire league, scoring at a 35.9% clip. Their penalty kill is also top-ten in the league, sitting ninth at an 84.4% success rate. These special teams and the amount of scoring in general have been paramount to the Penguins’ success in this first quarter of the season.
Although Pittsburgh has dealt with a dearth of injuries, its best players have continued to be their best players. Captain Sidney Crosby leads the team, and ties for the league lead (with Cutter Gauthier), in goal-scoring with 11 goals through 15 games to go along with 19 points on the season. Evgeni Malkin leads the team and co-leads the league (with Connor McDavid) in assists with 17, Malkin has 20 points on the season. Past them, rookie sensation Benjamin Kindel has been a much needed spark plug for this organization. The 2025 11th -overall pick picked up a pair of assists against the Capitals, including an assist on Rust’s game winner. Kindel has five goals and two assists through 12 games to start his NHL career. The Penguins will need these players to show up and produce against a high-octane Devils squad.
The Devil’s Story
The New Jersey Devils have fully blossomed following a lengthy rebuild just a few years ago. Led by centres Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, New Jersey boasts the top record in the Metro and the Eastern Conference, going 10-4-0. The Devils come into this game having won against the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 in overtime on Thursday night. Star Jack Hughes picked up three points in the game, while forward Jesper Bratt picked up the unassisted overtime winner. Like the Penguins, special teams have been a great source of success for the Devils. New Jersey’s power play and penalty kill are both sixth-best in the league, with a power play percentage of 27%, and a penalty kill rate of 87.2%.
The aforementioned Jack Hughes leads his team in scoring with 18 points, including ten goals, through 14 games. Behind him, Jesper Bratt and Dawson Mercer are also point-per-game players, scoring 15 and 14 points, respectively. Another area the Devils get a lot of support from is the defence. Simon Nemec, Dougie Hamilton and Luke Hughes have all produced at a half-a-point-per-game pace or better from the backend. The Devils rely on systematic scoring from all of their lines, something that is sure to give the weaker Penguins’ defence troubles in this contest.
NHL Prediction
Pittsburgh have been showing cracks in their games as of late. A fantastic start to the season has been followed by bad habits resurfacing, leading to blown leads and disappointing losses. Expect the high-flying New Jersey Devils to expose this weakness and build on their lead in the Eastern Conference standings.
NHL Prediction: Devils win 5-4.
Prop Bet for the Night
An excellent prop bet is the total goals over eight, with odds of +300. Pittsburgh and New Jersey have been high-scoring teams to start the year, while the Penguins have struggled to keep the puck out of their own net as of late. Although the Penguins may come out hot, they’ve struggled to play a full 60 minutes, something the Devils are equipped to take advantage of.
Main Photo: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
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