Vegas Golden Knights at New Jersey Devils odds, picks and predictions
The Vegas Golden Knights (27-14-5) visit the New Jersey Devils (23-18-3) on Monday. Puck drop at the Prudential Center in Newark is slated for 7 p.m. ET (NHL Network). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's lines around the Golden Knights vs. Devilsodds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
Season series: First meeting; teams went 1-1 last season each winning on the road
Vegas closed out a 5-game homestand on Saturday with a 3-2 triumph over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Knights went 4-1-0 in the stretch of home games, but now head out on the road where they are 0-6-0 since Dec. 19.
The Devils have scuffled of late and on Saturday lost to the Dallas Stars 6-2. In losing a 3rd straight game on home ice, New Jersey fell to 2-4-1 over its last 7 games overall.
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Golden Knights at Devils odds
BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Sunday at 11:38 p.m. ET.
Golden Knights at Devils projected goalies
Logan Thompson (16-9-3, 2.61 GAA, .910 SV%) | Adin Hill (10-2-2, 1.93 GAA, .933 SV%) vs. Vitek Vanecek (15-7-2, 3.22 GAA, .885 SV%)
Thompson stopped 23 of 25 pucks in Saturday's 3-2 victory over the Penguins. He is 5-1-0 with a robust .944 SV% over his last 6 efforts.
Vanecek had 1 of his best starts of the last month when he held the Columbus Blue Jackets to just 1 goal Friday. The 28-year-old had logged an .875 SV% over 14 previous starts from Nov. 18-Jan. 11, but he clocked 29 stops against Columbus.
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Golden Knights at Devils picks and predictions
Prediction
Devils 4, Golden Knights 3
On 2 earlier trips East, the Knights logged plenty of disappointments, and last season around this time (Jan. 24-28) Vegas went 1-1-1 with just 4 goals scored across 3 road games at New Jersey, the New York Rangers and New York Islanders.
But the Devils have been no great shakes on home ice (9-11-2). Can New Jersey capitalize and get a little closer to its season 5-on-5 expected-goal percentage which is outpacing its actual figures?
PASS, but: If the price is right, the Devils are worth a play. Hold off for a +110 or better.
The Over is the best value here. The Devils with the plus money in a maybe-loose game are tempting, but in the end and with the juice, not worth the investment. AVOID.
The Over is 14-8 in New Jersey home games. A 5th-ranked Devils powerplay (26.9%) makes up for some 5-on-5 flatness as times. And New Jersey has been coughing up a lot of extra high-danger chances of late.
The Knights have scored 12 goals over their last 3 games.
