Free NHL Picks Today: New Jersey Devils vs Anaheim Ducks 10/18/22

The Anaheim Ducks (1-2-0) are on the road to take on the New Jersey Devils (0-2-0) at Prudential Center on Tuesday. The Devils are -185 favorites, and the total is 6. Anaheim is playing on back-to-back days after suffering a high-scoring 6-4 loss against the Rangers yesterday. The Ducks committed four penalties in the game, conceding three power play goals. Four players found the net for the Ducks. Pavol Regenda and Troy Terry both had two assists to lead the team in scoring. John Gibson only had 29 saves on 34 shots against (.852%) after starting in the loss. New Jersey fell 5-2 to the Red Wings on Saturday. Dougie Hamilton and Miles Wood both scored once for the Devils. Hamilton added an assist to lead the team in scoring. Vitek Vanecek only had 17 saves on 22 shots against (.772%) in the loss.

HEAD TO HEAD

The teams split their two meetings last season, the last of which was a 2-1 (SO) victory for the Devils in March. Tomas Tatar scored New Jersey’s only goal. Nico Daws got the win, saving 33 of 34 shots (.970%).

FACING OFF

Anaheim is averaging 3.33 goals per game so far this season, 16th in the NHL, and they are taking on a Devils team that is allowing 5.00 goals a game (30th). Meanwhile, New Jersey has found the net 2.00 times a game on average, 28th in the league, and will be looking to exploit the Ducks’ weak defense, which is allowing opponents to score 5.67 goals per game (31st).New Jersey averages more shots/game (37.5) than most teams in the league, ranking fourth, though the team’s 5.3% shooting percentage is 31st. Anaheim has proven to be one of the league’s least successful shot-stopping teams, ranking No. 28 with a team save percentage of .87%.

TOP PERFORMERS:

With six points already this season, Terry is the top skater for the Ducks. He has three goals and three assists in three games. In the net, Anthony Stolarz (0-0-0) is Anaheim’s top goaltender by goals against average. He has a 4.62 GAA and a .850% save percentage. Gibson (1-2-0) leads the Ducks in games played in goal. He has a GAA of 5.96 and a save percentage of .872%.Jesper Bratt leads the Devils in scoring with three points. He has three assists in two games. MacKenzie Blackwood (0-1-0) has the best goals against average for New Jersey at 4.14. He has a save percentage of .833%.