Just one nationally televised matchup on Thursday’s three-game NHL schedule and it’s the Nashville Predators making their only visit of the season to the New Jersey Devils, who are one of the worst teams in the league and home Mybookie NHL Betting underdogs.
How to Bet Predators vs Devils NHL Hockey Odds & TV Info
- When: Thursday, 7:30 PM ET
- Where: Prudential Center, Newark
- TV: NBC Sports Network
- Live Stream: NHL.tv
- Radio: SiriusXM
- Predators vs Devils Odds: Nashville Predators -133 (Total 6)
Why Bet on Nashville?
Second of a back-to-back for the Predators as they were at the Washington Capitals on Wednesday.Nashville didn’t have much trouble beating New Jersey on Dec. 7, 6-4. The teams started the scoring early, combining for four goals before the game was even four minutes old. Nick Bonino, Dante Fabbro and Rocco Grimaldi each had a goal and an assist, Yakov Trenin scored his first NHL goal, and Daniel Carr and Filip Forsberg also scored for Nashville. Mattias Ekholm had two assists and Pekka Rinne stopped 29 shots.
Jesper Bratt, Travis Zajac, Kyle Palmieri and Taylor Hall scored for the Devils. Louis Domingue finished with 31 saves. Hall got the Devils within one goal with just under nine minutes remaining, but Grimaldi sealed the win 95 seconds later on a breakaway after tipping the puck past by Devils defenseman P.K. Subban.
With Juuse Saros playing in net Wednesday vs. Washington, it surely will be Rinne here. Rinne was beat four times on 30 shots in Monday’s 5-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He continues to look like a shadow of his former Vezina-winning self, playing behind a team that is lacking confidence. The 37-year-old goaltender has gone 3-6-0 in his last nine games, dropping his record to 16-11-3 with a 2.98 goals-against-average and a .897 save percentage.
Some Injuries
Right winger Colton Sissons hasn’t played since Dec. 27 due to a lower-body injury. Coach John Hynes said that Sissons could be back on Thursday against New Jersey or Saturday against the Vegas Golden Knights.Blueliner Ryan Ellis (upper body) skated on his own for “a little bit” on Tuesday, per Hynes. It’s the first time Ellis has been on the ice since the defenseman was injured at the Winter Classic back on Jan. 1. “He’s progressing,” added Hynes. “Slowly, but he’s progressing.” Ellis has six goals and 28 points in 39 games this season. He won’t play here.
Why Bet on New Jersey?
The disappointing Devils fired Coach John Hynes earlier this season and he’s now coaching the Predators. New Jersey snapped a three-game losing streak Monday with a 4-3 shootout win in Ottawa. The Sens’ Marcus Hogberg had 50 saves through overtime, but gave up two goals on two shots in the tiebreaker. The Devils had the better chances in overtime but Hogberg stopped all four shots. The teams were playing their first game in nine days following the bye week and All-Star break.Kyle Palmieri tied it late in the third period, and Nikita Gusev and Jack Hughes scored in the shootout for the Devils. Damon Severson and Kevin Rooney also scored in regulation for the Devils. With the Devils working a power play, Severson rang one off the post but the puck hit Hogberg in the back and went straight into the goal. It’s Severson’s sixth goal of the season, bringing the 25-year-old blueliner to 17 points in 49 games this season.
Meanwhile, it was just Rooney’s second goal and third point in 29 games. Palmieri has only been held off the scoresheet once in his last four games. He has 17 goals and 32 points in 45 contests in 2019-20.
Mackenzie Blackwood allowed three goals on 38 shots in the win. He was playing great until the third period when he was beat twice with the Devils on the man-advantage in a span of 35 seconds to turn a 2-1 lead into a 3-2 deficit. Blackwood improved to 15-12-6 this season with a 2.95 goals-against-average and a .906 save percentage. Blackwood will start here.
Top defenseman P.K. Subban (illness) didn’t take part in Wednesday’s practice. Subban also missed Tuesday’s skate so it’s not clear if he will play.
Predators vs Devils NHL Betting Trends
- Road team is 7-2 in the last 9 meetings
- Favorite is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings
- Over is 10-1 in Predators last 11 vs. Eastern Conference
- Predators are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games against New Jersey
- The total has gone OVER in 10 of Nashville’s last 13 games on the road
- Devils are 3-8 SU in their last 11 games at home
- The total has gone OVER in 6 of New Jersey’s last 9 games this season
