The Pittsburgh Penguins come home to face the New Jersey Devils. Welcome back to NHL Predictions here at Last Word on Hockey! Each day, we provide in-depth analysis, insights, and predictions for all the NHL’s games. In tonight’s matchup, the Penguins aim to build on back-to-back wins, while the Devils are looking to build momentum off of a mediocre last 10 games.
NHL Predictions
New Jersey Devils vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Head-to-Head: Devils 1-0 Penguins
Time: 7:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh; MSGSN2; ESPN+
The Penguins and Devils face off for the second time this season in PPG Paints Arena. In their first encounter on December 21, 2024, the Devils secured a 3-0 victory over the Penguins.
The Penguins Story
Following a couple of wins in a row, the Penguins are sitting on a 22-24-8 record. This places them tied with the Philadelphia Flyers for second-last in the East. Although Pittsburgh has had a bad stretch recently, their last couple of games have been good efforts from the team. Sidney Crosby continues to lead the team in points with 57 in 54 games. Behind him, Rickard Rakell has stayed hot, scoring 45 points in 53 games.
On defence, the Penguins are without Marcus Pettersson following his trade to the Vancouver Canucks. With Pettersson missing from the left side, the Penguins already thin defence has gotten thinner. Rookie defenceman Owen Pickering will be an important player to watch as he’s likely to receive more minutes in Pettersson’s absence.
The Devils Story
The Devils are 29-19-6 this season, sitting third in the Metropolitan Division. While the team has had a solid season so far, their recent stretch of games has left much to be desired. With a 4-4-2 record, New Jersey needs to build momentum with Metro Division teams like Columbus and the New York Islanders hot on their trail. They are also looking to catch the Carolina Hurricanes who sit just ahead of them in the division. Jack Hughes leads the team with 61 points in 54 games. Jesper Bratt has been an incredible accessory to the superstar, scoring 59 points in 54 games on his wing.
On defence, Dougie Hamilton leads in scoring with 35 points in 54 games. Young defenceman Luke Hughes has scored 21 points in 45 games. The highlight of the New Jersey defence is their goaltender, Jacob Markstrom. He is 36-21-9, with a .912 save percentage. With Markstrom in net, the Penguins would be hard-pressed to find scoring in this game. However, Markstrom is out with an injury so Jake Allen most likely gets the start.
Prediction
New Jersey needs to turn things around fast. With an important game against a division rival, expect the Devils to come out strong and take this game.
Prediction: Devils win 6-2
Main Photo Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images
Prop Bet for the Night
FanDuel has the total goals over seven with +190 odds. A high-powered Devils offence faces off against an anemic Penguins defence that’s just lost Marcus Pettersson, the stage is set for New Jersey to score a ton in this game.
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The post NHL Predictions: February 4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs New Jersey Devils appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.