The New Jersey Devils (26-12-3) head to take on the Anaheim Ducks (12-26-4) at Honda Center on Friday.New Jersey is coming off a high-scoring 5-3 win over the Hurricanes on Tuesday, their fourth win in a row away from home.
Dawson Mercer led the Devils with two goals. Vitek Vanecek allowed three goals on 28 shots against (.892%) in the win.Anaheim is playing their last of 10 games at home after a 6-2 loss against the Oilers on Wednesday.
Simon Benoit and Sam Carrick both scored once for the Ducks. Max Comtois had two assists to lead the team in scoring. John Gibson started in the loss and only had 31 saves on 37 shots (.837%).
HEAD TO HEAD
The Devils won the first meeting between the teams this season, a 4-2 victory in October. Nico Hischier (1G 1A), Jesper Bratt (0G 2A), and Jack Hughes (0G 2A) each had two points to lead New Jersey. Jakob Silfverberg led Anaheim with two goals. MacKenzie Blackwood got the win, saving 18 of 20 shots (.900%).
FACING OFF
New Jersey is averaging 3.44 goals per game for the season, seventh in the NHL, and they are taking on a Ducks team that is allowing 4.12 goals a game (32nd).
Meanwhile, Anaheim has found the net 2.26 times a game on average, 31st in the league, and won’t find goals any easier to come by against the Devils’ stout defense, which is holding opponents to 2.63 goals per game (4th).
New Jersey averages more shots/game (34.5) than most teams in the league, ranking fourth, though the team’s 10.0% shooting percentage is 21st. Anaheim’s average of 28.8 attempts ranks 29th.Power play opportunities are likely to be plentiful for the Devils, as the Ducks have been penalized 4.71 times a game, second-most in the NHL, for an average of 11.62 minutes (fourth-highest).
The visitors are averaging 3.71 penalties (22nd) and 8.68 penalty minutes a game (20th). The Ducks’ 13.93% power play percentage is the worst in the league, while the Devils rank 26th with a conversion rate of 19.23%. Anaheim has been equally unimpressive at penalty killing, as the hosts possess the league’s third-lowest PK% at 71.33%. New Jersey’s 82.17% ranks eighth in the NHL.
TOP PERFORMERS:
With 49 points this season, eighth-most in the NHL, Hughes is the top skater for the Devils. He is among the league leaders with 26 goals (8th) and has added 23 assists. In the net, Vanecek (16-5-2) is New Jersey’s top goaltender. He has a 2.37 GAA and a .913% save percentage.
Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras lead the Ducks in scoring with 33 and 31 points, respectively. Terry has 12 goals and 21 assists, while Zegras has 12 goals and 19 assists. Gibson (7-17-3) has the best goals against average for Anaheim at 3.94. He has a save percentage of .898%.
HOME AND AWAY
New Jersey is 15-2-1 away from home this season. Anaheim is 8-12-1 at home this season.
SportsTips’ NHL Pick:
NJ Devils -1.5 (-130)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
