The New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers meet Saturday in game 6 of the NHL East First Round Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Let’s preview this game and give out a pick and prediction.
The New Jersey Devils are averaging 2.20 goals per game and are scoring on 16.7 percent of their power play opportunities. Jack Hughes leads New Jersey with 3 goals, Jesper Bratt has 3 assists and Timo Meier has 20 shots on goal. Defensively, the New Jersey Devils are allowing 2.40 goals per game and are killing 80 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Vitek Vanecek has allowed 9 goals on 52 shots faced, and Akira Schmid has given up 2 goals on 82 shots.
The New York Rangers are averaging 2.40 goals per game and are scoring on 20 percent of their power play opportunities. Chris Kreider leads New York with 5 goals, Adam Fox has 6 assists, and Patrick Kane has 15 shots on goal. Defensively, the New York Rangers are allowing 2.20 goals per game and are killing 83.3 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Igor Shesterkin has allowed 9 goals on 144 shots faced.
The Devils are 30-12 in their last 42 road games and 5-2 in their last 7 overall. The Rangers are 0-4 in their last 4 home games and 2-5 in their last 7 overall. The under is 5-2 in Devils last 7 Conference Quarterfinals games. The under is 7-2 in Rangers last 9 overall. The Devils are 5-2 in the last 7 meetings. The road team is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings. The underdog is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
I want to believe in the New York Rangers at home, so we can see a game 7, and their defense is still good enough to bounce back and get the job done here. However, the Devils have put the Rangers in a straitjacket these last 3 games, allowing a combined 2 goals during that stretch. Basically, in their last 3 games, the Devils are allowing 0.66 goals and 27 shots on average. Just elite stuff. Combine that with the Devils' dominance on the road this season, and it's hard to turn down the plus money. Give me the Devils to reach the second round for the first time since 2011-12.
