The Pittsburgh Penguins roll into Newark looking to build on their impressive 5-0 shutout of Chicago, but they'll face a Devils squad eager to bounce back from Tuesday's embarrassing 7-2 drubbing by Boston.
While Sidney Crosby's crew has nothing but pride to play for after being eliminated from playoff contention, the Devils have clinched a postseason berth despite missing key players like Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton.
Friday's clash at Prudential Center pits the road-challenged Penguins (12-21-7 away from home) against the New Jersey Devils, who've dominated this matchup by winning 8 of their last 10 meetings.
New Jersey Devils vs. Pittsburgh Penguins prediction: who will win?
For tonight's New Jersey Devils vs Pittsburgh Penguins matchup, our predictive model gives the Devils a 52.5% chance of defeating the Pens.
Pre-game probabilities
New Jersey Devils
Moneyline
Win %
52.5%
47.5%
Pittsburgh Penguins
New Jersey Devils: 52.5% win probability
- Strong defensive record (208 goals against, 7th best in Eastern Conference)
- Better overall season performance (41 wins vs Pittsburgh's 32 wins)
- More consistent point accumulation (89 points in 78 games compared to Pittsburgh's 76 points in 79 games)
Pittsburgh Penguins: 47.5% win probability
- Poor defensive performance (285 goals against, 3rd worst in Eastern Conference)
- Lower winning percentage (32 wins in 79 games played)
- Inconsistent recent form (W-L-W-L-W pattern shows inability to build winning streaks)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model combines insights from top NHL experts.
Instead of sifting through hundreds of expert analyses across the web, you can rely on our predictions to understand the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing predictions, data, and opinions, and our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. We then average these levels to produce an 'expert opinion' win probability—reflecting the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NHL experts.
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New Jersey Devils vs. Pittsburgh Penguins preview
The struggling Penguins head to Newark's Prudential Center tonight riding the momentum of a convincing 5-0 shutout against Chicago, but they'll face a much tougher test against a Devils squad that's already punched their playoff ticket.
Sidney Crosby continues to defy Father Time with 31 goals this season, while the Pens' power play ranks an impressive 7th in the league, converting 25% of their chances—something to watch against New Jersey's stellar penalty kill.
The home team Devils are looking to bounce back after Tuesday's embarrassing 7-2 thrashing by Boston interrupted what had been a nice three-game win streak.
Jacob Markstrom will likely get the start for New Jersey despite being pulled in their last outing, while Pittsburgh counters with Tristan Jarry who's coming off a confidence-boosting 26-save shutout.
History favors the Devils who've won 8 of the last 10 meetings, though Pittsburgh did grab a 7-3 win in their most recent matchup back in March.
New Jersey will have to overcome some significant injury woes, with star Jack Hughes (shoulder) sidelined for the season alongside defensemen Jonas Siegenthaler and Dougie Hamilton.
The Devils' home record (19-14-5) looks solid compared to Pittsburgh's road struggles (12-21-7), suggesting Newark might not be kind to the visitors.
Look for the Devils' 3rd-ranked power play unit (27.9%) to test Pittsburgh's middling penalty kill, potentially creating the difference in what could be a higher-scoring affair than the teams' averages might suggest.
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