The New Jersey Devils are still in the fight for first place in the Metropolitan Division as they sit just three points back with five games remaining. However, they're welcoming in a Pittsburgh Penguins team that is battling just to get into the playoffs.
The Penguins are currently in the second Wild Card position, but they have a ton of teams creeping up on them. The race in the East seems to be getting closer and closer, and the Pens need all the points they can get. With that said, a win against New Jersey is a tough sell.
Find out my best bet in our free NHL picks and predictions for Islanders vs. Devils on April 4.
Penguins vs Devils best odds
Penguins vs Devils picks and predictions
The New Jersey Devils have defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in all three meetings this season, outscoring them by a combined score of 11-5 in those games.
The theme of this year's Penguins team continues to be consistency and they have not been able to find it. The Pens are juts 4-6 in their last 10 games but are also 1-5 in their last six road games and 0-4 in their last four games following a win, hence the inconsistency.
Although the Devils are just 4-4-2 in their last 10 games, they have always found ways to bounce back this season after lousy performances. They fell 6-1 on the road to Winnipeg but this team is 5-1 in its last six games after allowing 5+ goals in the previous game.
The Devils have been one of the best offensive teams in the league all year long, averaging 3.43 goals per game while the Pens are towards the bottom of the league when it comes to defense, allowing 3.22 gpg.
Pittsburgh has been pretty bad on the road this year, skating to a 16-17-5 record as the away team and this feels like one the Devils should win in 60 minutes.
My best bet: Devils 3-way moneyline (+100 at BetMGM)
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Penguins vs Devils moneyline analysis
New Jersey has been great at Prudential Center this season, boasting a 21-13-4 record on home ice. Getting first place in the Metro isn’t such a far-fetched idea at this point.
The Devils have been just as good offensively as they've been defensively this season and that is why they've been able to maintain all of their success.
The thing that stands out most to me in this matchup is the pace of play, which is a clear advantage for the Devils. New Jersey rarely plays another team's game, but always bring the game to their opponent.
They're averaging 13.14 scoring chances per game, the best mark in the NHL, and are generating the fifth-most shots on goal per game. I have no doubt in my mind that they'll control the game tonight.
The Penguins simply cannot keep up with the up-and-down speed of the Devils.
Penguins vs Devils Over/Under analysis
Neither team has announced a starting goalie for this game just yet, but this is certainly going to be an offensive matchup. Both of these teams are averaging more than 3.0 goals per game. The Over has hit in three out of the last five games for the Pens and four of the last six games for New Jersey.
The Over happens to be 1-1-1 in the three meetings between the two this season, but something tells me that we're going to see a very back-and-forth offensive game in this meeting.
The Devils have scored 15 goals in their last five games while the Penguins have tallied 17 goals in the same span. Both teams are scoring goals and with the importance of this game for both teams, we'll see some extra urgency. Expect a high-scoring game.
Penguins vs Devils betting trend to know
The Penguins are 0-4 in their last four games. Find more NHL betting trends for Penguins vs Devils.
Penguins vs Devils game info
Location: | Prudential Center, Newark, NJ |
Date: | Tuesday, April 4, 2023 |
Puck drop: | 7:00 p.m. ET |
TV: | ATTSN-PT, MSGSN |