Friday NHL Odds, Picks, Prediction: New Jersey Devils vs. Chicago Blackhawks Betting Preview
Ben Green/NHLI via Getty Images. Pictured: Dougie Hamilton #7 celebrates his first period goal with Jesper Bratt #63 and Nico Hischier #13 of the New Jersey Devils
- The Chicago Blackhawks will host the New Jersey Devils in a Friday night showdown.
- The Blackhawks have lost their last seven home games, so can the Devils make it eight here?
- Jonny Lazarus breaks down the matchup below and gives his top pick.
Devils vs. Blackhawks Odds
| Devils Odds | +120 |
| Blackhawks Odds | –140 |
| Over/Under | 6.5 |
| Time | 8:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | NHL Network |
| Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
The New Jersey Devils are coming off of a HUGE upset win Thursday in Pittsburgh, dominating the Penguins for a full 60 minutes and winning by a score of 6-1. The Devils scored three goals in the first 10 minutes and never looked back. Nico Daws stood on his head, stopping 37 of the 38 shots he faced to help lead the Devils to a win.
The Blackhawks haven't played since Sunday, when they lost to the Florida Panthers 5-2 on home ice, which marked their third loss in a row.
These two teams are set to meet for the first time since opening night when the Devils won 4-3 on a Jack Hughes overtime goal.
New Jersey Devils Offense is on Fire
The Devils have exploded offensively in their last five games. They have scored 25 goals over this five-game span, going 3-2-0.
The Devils welcomed back Jesper Bratt to their lineup after missing games due to injury and Bratt made an immediate impact with two goals and one assist. Bratt isn't the only Devil who made his return as defenseman Dougie Hamilton also played in his first game in quite some time. These two are both key cogs for this Devils team and it showed Thursday night. Hamilton may not have gotten on the score sheet, but he did have a team-high five shots on goal.
As good as Daws played in goal, the Devils will most likely go back with Jon Gillies for this contest. Gillies hasn't been all that impressive — he is 3-8-0 with a .889 save percentage and a -9.8 Goals Saved Above Expected. If the Devils do decide to go back with Daws, it will be the first time appearing in back-to-back games of his career. Daws has gotten three starts and he is 2-1-0.
Chicago Blackhawks Hoping to End Losing Streak
The Chicago Blackhawks' season has been a complete mess. They are currently in seventh place in the Central Division with a 18-26-8 record. Over the last decade, Chicago's identity was formed by offensive talent and — even though Patrick Kane has had a great season — aside from Alex DeBrincat, the rest of this roster has struggled to contribute consistently. The Blackhawks offense is currently ranked 30th as they are only averaging 2.37 goals per game and they struggle to generate. They are ranked second-to-last in the league, averaging just 9.37 high-danger chances per 60.
The Blackhawks have been slightly below average defensively, allowing 3.35 goals against per game, but they do a great job at limiting their opponents as they are only surrendering 9.86 high-danger chances against per 60.
Marc-Andre Fleury is set to start this game — he is 16-18-4 on the year with a .912 save percentage and a -9.1 GSAx.
Devils-Blackhawks Pick
The New Jersey Devils have definitely started to pick up some offensive momentum. Getting back two of their best players in Jesper Bratt and Dougie Hamilton has to have uplifted the mood and it showed Thursday night in Pittsburgh.
The Blackhawks have shown struggles lately and they aren't a good team on home ice to begin with. Chicago has lost their last seven home games in a row.
The Devils got a huge win last night and I feel they will carry that momentum into Chicago. There is great value on the Devils as an underdog here.
Pick: Devils Moneyline (+120)
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