Nothing like an Eastern Conference battle to set the tone for a Thursday night in the NHL. It’s a showdown between playoff contenders as the New Jersey Devils take on the Florida Panthers. Giddyup for some hard-nosed hockey.
For Thursday’s game, the Devils have the edge at -162 on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook, while the Panthers are listed at +136. The total is set at 5.5 goals. Let’s get into a preview, prediction, and pick for this matchup.
Devils vs. Panthers preview, prediction
So far, so good for the Devils. After their young core fueled a playoff appearance last year, hopes were high for this season. Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, and the Jack/Luke Hughes brotherly duo are off to the races already. With a strong defensive foundation in place, the hope is that a step forward from their young offensive talents can take them a step further. That looks like a good bet so far.
The Panthers’ quest for a three-peat is off to a solid start. They’ve won three of their first five games, but the absence of Aleksander Barkov is being felt. The scoring depth needs to step up. Offensive results have been solid, but the defense is feeling the pain. Turns out an 80-point center who locks it down on defense is a tricky thing to replace. That was on display in their 4-1 loss to the Red Wings on Wednesday night.
Now they have to get up for a back-to-back on the road against a young, athletic Devils team. Is Florida up to the task?
Devils vs. Panthers pick, best bet
Without a doubt, Florida is a talented team that can compete for the Stanley Cup. But it’s a tall task when you draw a road back-to-back against young and talented squads. Though I predict the Devils to come out victorious, it should be a low-scoring contest between two tough defensive teams.
