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This weekend kicks off with several afternoon NHL games as the New Jersey Devils take on the Pittsburgh Penguins in an Eastern Conference Metropolitan Division matchup on Saturday. Puck drop takes place at 3 PM ET in the PPG Paints Arena, as the Penguins look to climb up from the bottom of the ladder. With plenty of exciting action on the ice in store, let’s get into our New Jersey Devils vs Pittsburgh Penguins picks and analysis of their respective seasons so far.
The New Jersey Devils suffered three consecutive losses from March 2 to March 7, falling 2-0 to the Golden Knights, 4-3 to the Stars and 6-1 to the ever-threatening Winnipeg Jets. They’ve bounced back completely in their last three however, with the current victory streak beginning on March 9 when they beat the Flyers 3-1. Next, they played the Blue Jackets and came out victorious with a 5-3 scoreline and that was followed by a 3-2 win over the Oilers on Thursday. The Devils are just four points behind the Hurricanes in the standings and will likely have Carolina in their sights.
Jesper Bratt is in form currently, with two goals in his last two games, so he will be looking to continue his scoring streak against Pittsburgh. Other attackers like Cody Glass, with two goals in the last three games, will need to step up especially with Jack Hughes sitting on Injured Reserve (shoulder surgery) and having created the majority of New Jersey’s scoring chances this season (27 goals, 43 assists). Still, the Devils’ center Nico Hischier will be hungry to add to his tally of 27 goals and 24 assists. Goaltender Jacob Markstrom will hopefully continue his spectacular season, with just 93 goals against and 986 saves this season.
The Penguins have everything to prove, as they sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference Metropolitan Division tied with the Philadelphia Flyers on just 64 points. Pittsburgh has hardly had an impressive season, and in their last seven matches, they have won three and lost four. That run began with a 2-1 loss to the Bruins on March 1 and they went on to drop three more after that. Those defeats were 6-5 to the Maple Leafs, 4-1 to the Avalanche and 4-0 to the Golden Knights. However, following that run, they went on to win consecutive games against the Wild, Golden Knights and Blues.
Sidney Crosby has scored four goals and registered two assists in his last three games and will look to continue his hot form of 23 goals and 49 assists on the season. If there’s anyone else on the team to rely on attacking-wise, it’s right-winger Rickard Rackell and his current tally of 30 goals and 28 assists. Of course, Pittsburgh will need to improve on their defense, with both goalkeepers Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedelijkovic sitting at over 3+ goals allowed per game on average.
This game will be a valiant test for both teams. While the Devils have a lead on the season, they’ve only scored six more goals than the Penguins. What has made the difference for New Jersey has been their defense, especially with Jacob Markstrom in net, as the Devils have only conceded 170 goals compared to the Penguins’ dreadful 247. However, given the form Crosby has been in, he should enter this one motivated to break through New Jersey’s wall. With home advantage too, Pittsburgh should give their fans something to cheer about and we like Crosby to be the reason behind that.
Liam has been a major sports fan and soccer player for over a decade, with a particular focus on major top-level soccer leagues, including the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and MLS. He has written numerous promotional articles for various top sportsbooks and continues to publish historical and factual sports articles covering the NFL, MLS, NHL, MLB, EPL and more.