Both the New Jersey Devils and Nashville Predators are battling inconsistency and playoff bubble urgency, with the Devils slightly favored by oddsmakers despite being significantly hampered by key injuries, particularly on their blue line. While New Jersey holds a statistical edge in goaltending, Nashville is less impacted by injuries, setting the stage for a potentially high-scoring and tightly contested game.
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The New Jersey Devils are significantly impacted by injuries, with key defenseman Luke Hughes out due to a shoulder injury, which has led to lineup shuffling and a shortened bench. They also have multiple forwards (Glass, MacEwen, McLaughlin, Noesen) out or doubtful, affecting their depth. The Nashville Predators have fewer significant injuries, with defenseman Nicolas Hague out and forward Fedor Svechkov day-to-day, but their top offensive players remain healthy. Therefore, New Jersey is more affected by injuries.
No recent head-to-head history between Nashville and New Jersey is provided in the research data to identify trends or dominance in this matchup.
The New Jersey Devils are favored with a moneyline of -140, while the Nashville Predators are the underdog at +118. The spread is set at New Jersey -1.5 (+180) and Nashville +1.5 (-220). The total goals for the game are 6, with both the over and under at -110 odds. There is no reported significant line movement from the opening odds.
The Devils are favored by the betting market and possess a statistical edge in goaltending with Jake Allen, which could be a deciding factor in a projected high-scoring game. However, their extensive injury list, particularly on defense, is a significant concern that could test their depth and create vulnerabilities against a Predators team looking for road consistency.