The New Jersey Devils (1-0-0) and New York Islanders (0-1-0) meet in the NHL tonight. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. EDT at UBS Arena in Belmont Park, N.Y. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
The Devils are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 5.5 (-130o / +110u). The Devils are a -135 favorite to win outright, while the Islanders are +115 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Devils vs. Islanders predictions and NHL picks.
Devils vs. Islanders Prediction
| Devils Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +185 | 5.5 -130o / 110u | -135 |
| Islanders Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -225 | 5.5 -130o / 110u | +114 |
- Devils vs. Islanders Spread: Devils -1.5 (+185), Islanders +1.5 (-225)
- Devils vs. Islanders Over/Under: 5.5 (-130o / +110u)
- Devils vs. Islanders Moneyline: Devils -135, Islanders +114
Devils vs. Islanders Pick
The Devils beat the Flyers 3-2 in overtime to start the 2026-27 NHL season. But the results are better than that when you dig a bit deeper.
New Jersey outshot Philadelphia 44-25 in that game. According to MoneyPuck, the Devils are 2nd in xG% and 1st in Shot Attempts%. In other words, in that one game, they generated a lot of scoring chances. This isn't surprising when you consider the talent this team has up front, led by Jack Hughes.
The Islanders lost 2-1 to the Leafs in their first game, but there were encouraging results there as well. This team is 7th in xGoals% and 4th in Shot Attempts%. You can make a legit argument that they deserved better than only one goal in that loss to Toronto.
With both teams looking good in generating scoring chances in their opener, I'm on the Over 5.5. It's a low bar to clear, so I'm willing to pay -130 on this pick.
Pick: Over 5.5 (-130)
