The New Jersey Devils visit the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday night, with puck drop set for 6:00 p.m. ET at T-Mobile Arena. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Vegas is a -115 favorite on the Moneyline, while the total is set at O/U 6.5 goals.
Below, I’ll break down the matchup and provide my top Golden Knights vs. Devils prediction and best bet.
Golden Knights vs. Devils Odds
| Market | New Jersey Devils | Vegas Golden Knights |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | -105 | -115 |
| Puck Line | +1.5 (-265) | -1.5 (+215) |
| Total | Over 6.5 (+110) | Under 6.5 (-130) |
Golden Knights vs. Devils Betting Preview
Vegas Golden Knights Outlook
Vegas has been tough to beat at home, going 6-2-0, and it snapped a three-game skid (0-2-1) with a 4-1 win over Ottawa on Tuesday night. Jack Eichel leads the team with 20 points, 13 of them assists, and Mark Stone has a team-high eight goals. The Golden Knights’ power play ranks eighth at 25.6%, and they’ve allowed just 2.62 xGoals against per 60 this season, the third-fewest in the league.
The chances haven’t come as easily lately. Vegas ranks T-25th in high-danger shots over its past 10 games, and its 5v5 xGoals share has slipped to 54.2% in that span. Its penalty kill has also been a weak spot all year, sitting T-26th at 67.6%. With Carter Hart listed as day-to-day, Adin Hill will likely draw his second straight start after going 5-1-0 with a .895 SV% and 2.63 GAA. Hill has allowed three goals or fewer in five of his six starts, and his -0.4 GSAx puts him right around league average.
New Jersey Devils Outlook
New Jersey has been a different team at home than on the road, going 6-2-0 there and 2-3-0 away, and it’s coming off a 5-2 loss in Colorado on Wednesday in which Jake Allen faced 45 shots. However, it’s safe to say that night was an outlier for a team that has been one of the stingiest in the NHL. Over their past 10 games, the Devils have allowed a league-low 2.29 xGoals against per 60 and are tied for the fewest high-danger shots against (16), and on the season they rank second in both 5v5 xGoals share (58.8%) and 5v5 Corsi% (57.3%).
The Devils also put plenty of pucks on net, averaging 32.6 shots per game, the second-most in the NHL. Jack Hughes drives the attack with a team-high 14 points and 7.3 xGoals, Nico Hischier leads the club with seven goals, and Timo Meier has matched Hughes for the team lead with 47 shots. The power play has held the offense back, though, converting at 17.5%, tied for 22nd. Connor Hellebuyck is expected to make his second start for New Jersey since the trade that brought him over from Winnipeg. In his first appearance of the season on Tuesday night, he stopped 17 of 18 shots in a 5-1 win in Dallas.
Golden Knights vs. Devils Prediction and Best Bet
The Moneyline is basically a coin flip, so I’ll take the better 5v5 team at -105. New Jersey has controlled play about as well as any team in the NHL and has given up the fewest quality chances in the league over its past 10 games, while Vegas has struggled to generate high-danger looks in that span. New Jersey sports a 2-3-0 road record, but Hellebuyck in net against a Golden Knights offense that’s been creating fewer overall chances lately is a matchup I’m willing to back.
Best Bet: Devils Moneyline (-105)
Advanced stats courtesy of MoneyPuck.
