The New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers open their seasons in a Thursday night game at the Wells Fargo Center. Opening puck drop is slated for 7 p.m.. ET (HULU).
New Jersey logged 63 points last season. finishing 7th in the Metropolitan Division. The Devils coughed up 3.68 goals per game which ranked 29th in the NHL. Looking to improve on that defense, New Jersey went out and acquired G Vitek Vanecek in a trade with the Washington Capitals.
The Flyers were the only club behind the Devils last season; they filed just 61 points on 2.56 GPG and 3.59 goals allowed per contest. That offensive output ranked 31st in the league, and Philadelphia responded by switching bench bosses; it brought in coach John Tortorella in the offseason.
New Jersey won 2 of 3 games vs. the Flyers last season.
Devils at Flyers odds
- Moneyline: Devils -135 (bet $135 to win $100) | Flyers +110 (bet $100 to win $110)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Devils -1.5 (+175) | Flyers +1.5 (-240)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: +105 | U: -130)
Devils at Flyers projected goalies
Mackenzie Blackwood (W-L-T, GAA, SV%) vs Carter Hart (2021-22: 13-24-7, 3.16 GAA, .905 SV%)
Blackwood’s save percentage has dipped in each of his 4years as an NHL’er. He struggled mightily on the road last season, logging an .870 SV%.
Hart struggled in the 2nd half last season, notching a subpar .887 SV%. He has, however, been quite good against the Devils the last 2 seasons (.924 SV% in 2020-21, .943 SV% in 2021-22).
Devils at Flyers picks and predictions
Prediction
Devils 3, Flyers 2
Moneyline
Look for the Devils to be an improved bunch this season. In this matchup, they have the more top-end talent and they should have an end in special teams.
C Sean Couturier — a talented 2-way player who is tremendous on faceoffs and who has 58 points over his last 71 games — is out with a back injury. That adds to an already existing talent gap between these 2 hockey clubs.
BACK NEW JERSEY (-135). Consider a partial-unit play, unless you can get a -130 tag or better.
Puck line/Against the spread
The Devils are a lean, but the payoff here is likely short of the true odds and is drowned out by an ocean of juice PASS.
Over/Under
The Under is the lean here, but this is another proposition not exactly priced to move. If an Under 6.5 (-120), that would be worth a partial-unit look.