New Jersey Devils at Boston Bruins odds, picks and predictions
The New Jersey Devils (19-13-2) and Boston Bruins (20-7-6) meet Saturday night. The opening puck drop at TD Garden is slated for 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's lines around the Devils vs. Bruinsodds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
The Devils are playing for a 2nd straight night and in their 3rd game in 4 days. They defeated the Ottawa Senators 6-2 Friday and have won 3 straight games after a 3-game losing streak (0-2-1) endured Dec. 17-21.
The Bruins came out of the Christmas break with a 4-1 conquest at the Buffalo Sabres. The victory snapped a 4-game slide 0-2-2 for a club that had filed a single-digit loss total through Dec. 15. A top-5 Boston powerplay (26.5%) netted 3 goals in the win at Buffalo.
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Devils at Bruins odds
BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:45 p.m. ET.
Devils at Bruins projected goalies
Vitek Vanecek (13-6-1, 3.26 GAA, .885 SV%) vs. Linus Ullmark (10-5-2, 2.87 GAA, .914 SV%)
Vanecek stopped 26 of 29 shots in his last start (Wednesday vs. Columbus Blue Jackets). That game and all of his last 5 starts have been at home. That stretch opened with holding these Bruins to 1 goal on 24 shots Dec. 13.
Ullmark would be making his 1st start in a week and just his 3rd since Dec. 15. He faced the Devils twice last season, logging a .933 SV%. He has allowed 3+ goals in all 6 starts this month.
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Devils at Bruins picks and predictions
Prediction
Devils 3, Bruins 2
Expected-vs.-actual goals allowed is a measure favoring regression on both sides and to New Jersey's benefit on both sides. On offense, the Devils have been somewhat undone by a relatively low 8.8% conversion rate on 5-on-5 high-danger shots.
Vanecek has been very sharp in his last 3 games against Boston. New Jersey has excellent puck-possession numbers over recent games, and the Devils are 6-1-0 in their last 7 games away from home.
The NEW JERSEY (+130) play has value.
PASS: the Devils are the lean, but the plus money on the ML has the better relative value.
The O/U is 2-2-1 across the last 5 meetings of this series.
Looking at some analytics that may run counter to surface stats, indicators swing both ways. No value here: PASS.
