Offense meets defense at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday as the high-volume shooting New Jersey Devils (31-12-4) travel to take on the suffocating goaltending of the Nashville Predators (23-18-6).New Jersey is coming off a 3-2 overtime win over the Golden Knights on Tuesday.
The Devils committed four penalties in the game, though they held Vegas without a power play goal. Dougie Hamilton was the top goalscorer for the Devils with two goals. Vitek Vanecek had a great performance with 28 saves (.933%) in the win.
Nashville beat the Jets 2-1 on Tuesday. Tanner Jeannot and Cody Glass each scored once for the Predators. Juuse Saros saved 32 of 33 shots in the win (.969%).
HEAD TO HEAD
The Predators won the first meeting between the teams this season, a 4-3 (OT) victory in December, their seventh straight win against New Jersey. Ryan Johansen led Nashville with three points (2G 1A).
Jack Hughes and Erik Haula each had two points (0G 2A) to lead New Jersey. Saros got the win despite allowing three goals on 28 shots (.892%).
FACING OFF
New Jersey is averaging 3.47 goals per game for the season, sixth in the NHL, and they are taking on a Predators team that is allowing 2.89 goals a game (13th). Meanwhile, Nashville has found the net 2.74 times a game on average, 27th in the league, and the Devils are holding opponents to 2.60 goals per game (3rd).
New Jersey averages more shots/game (34.4) than most teams in the league, ranking fourth. Nashville has proven to be one of the league’s best shot-stopping teams, ranking No. 4 with a team save percentage of .920%.
The Predators’ 16.13% power play percentage is the third-worst in the league, while the Devils rank 18th with a conversion rate of 20.71%. In terms of defending power plays, New Jersey has the league’s eighth-ranked PK% at 81.51%, while Nashville is 13th at 80.24%.
TOP PERFORMERS:
With 60 points this season, 10th-most in the NHL, Hughes is the top skater for the Devils. He is among the league leaders with 30 goals (6th) and has added 30 assists. In the net, Vanecek (19-5-2) is New Jersey’s top goaltender. He has a 2.32 GAA and a .916% save percentage.
Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi lead the Predators in scoring with 40 points apiece. Forsberg has 18 goals and 22 assists, while Josi has 12 goals and 28 assists. Saros (17-13-5) is the top goalie for Nashville with a goals against average of 2.75. He has a save percentage of .919%.
HOME AND AWAY
New Jersey is 18-2-2 away from Prudential Center this season. Nashville is 13-7-3 at Bridgestone Arena this season.
SportsTips’ NHL Pick:
Nashville Predators (+115)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
