The New Jersey Devils (37-28-7) visit the Chicago Blackhawks (21-4-19) Wednesday. The opening face-off at the United Center will be at 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NHL odds around the Devils vs. Blackhawks odds and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
Season series: Devils lead 1-0
New Jersey opens a 3-game road swing after dropping 3 straight at home. The Devils, who last played Monday when they fell to the Vancouver Canucks in a 4-3 shootout, are just 5-7-1 with a minus-12 goal differential since Feb. 26.
The Blackhawks played their last game Sunday, snapping a 7-game skid (0-6-1) with a high-octane 7-3 conquest of the Philadelphia Flyers. Chicago — which is just 4-10-2 since the Four Nations break — had averaged just 1.33 goals per game over its previous 6 contests.
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Devils at Blackhawks odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 10 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Devils -225 (bet $225 to win $100) | Blackhawks +185 (bet $100 to win $185)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Devils -1.5 (+115) | Blackhawks +1.5 (-140)
- Over/Under (O/U): 5.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Devils at Blackhawks projected goalies
Jacob Markstrom (22-14-6, 2.50 GAA, .900 SV%, 3 SO) vs. Spencer Knight (15-12-1, 2.55 GAA, .906 SV%, 2 SO)
Markstrom, who allowed 3 goals on 28 shots in the Monday game against Vancouver, has struggled of late on the road. Three times across his last 4 road starts he has yielded 4 goals or more. Markstrom has logged a porous .842 SV% in March.
Knight was the netminder of record in Chicago’s Sunday triumph over Philadelphia (25 saves on 29 shots). Acquired from the Florida Panthers March 1, the 23-year-old excelled in his first 3 games for the ‘Hawks (.941 SV%). He has scuffled a bit since, posting an .870 SV% across 4 starts.
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Devils at Blackhawks picks and predictions
Prediction
Devils 5, Blackhawks 3
Moneyline
PASS; look to leverage a solid New Jersey lean on the PL.
Puck line/Against the spread
Against the Blackhawks, New Jersey has won 5 straight and 7 of its last 8. Six of those wins have been by multi-goal margins.
Devils’ puck-possession and 5-on-5 expected-goals analytics peg the club as flying below should-be levels of late. And on the power play, things have been just fine (8 for 27 over the last 10 games).
Young Chicago has been listing the last few weeks, and that could well continue through the endgame final weeks of the season. The ‘Hawks usually get out-chanced, and they figure to be up against a surly and motivated bunch from New Jersey.
New Jersey owns a .563 point percentage overall, but it has logged a .650 mark when playing on one day’s rest. Chicago is just 3-10-2 (.267) when playing after back-to-back off days.
TAKE THE DEVILS -1.5 (+115).
Over/Under
The Devils have averaged 4.50 goals per game across their last 4 contests against the Blackhawks. Chicago has yielded 4.00 GPG over its last 10.
In a battle that figures to have a couple extra-man twine-finders tacked on to the final, BACK THE OVER 5.5 (-110).
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