by Chuck Sommers
Saturday, Nov 26, 2022
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Venue: Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
Where to watch: MSG, NBCSWA
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Devils -170, Capitals +145
FanDuel: Devils -178, Capitals +146
BetMGM: Devils -182, Capitals +150
Caesars: Devils -170, Capitals +143
Season record
Capitals: 9-10-3
Devils: 17-4-0
What an electric start to the NHL season. So much parity, so many good teams through the first 10-plus games, you have every right to be excited! Of course the Vegas Golden Knights and Boston Bruins (and the New Jersey Devils?) are heading the fun charge here as the top two teams in the league, because of course they are. But never count out the Avalanche, you know they're always going to be hanging around and will be eating worlds once they get everyone healthy. But this is a good time to be playing these hockey games, as well. Look no further than our own Doc's Sports on a 14-7-0 run over the first 30 days of the NHL season. There's also ASA, Inc. posting a 12-5-1 mark through the first month. You know you can trust our champion handicappers to get you across the finish line with your NHL bets. Check out our Best Bets page at bigal.com to see what we're throwing down!
Capitals - Devils preview, prediction and analysis
Recent results
Capitals: won 3-0 vs. Flames
Devils: won 3-1 at Sabres
Just when you thought the New Jersey Devils were going to lose for the remainder of time because they are no longer holders of the longest winning streak in the NHL, Nora franchise altering winning streak, they come back and win the next night against the Buffalo Sabres. And New Jersey now winners of 14 of their last 15, are looking to keep that run going at home on Saturday on the second night of a back-to-back against the Washington Capitals.
Just when you thought the New Jersey Devils were going to lose for the remainder of time because they are no longer holders of the longest winning streak in the NHL, Nora franchise altering winning streak, they come back and win the next night against the Buffalo Sabres. And New Jersey now winners of 14 of their last 15, are looking to keep that run going at home on Saturday on the second night of a back-to-back against the Washington Capitals.
The devils are just a fun weird team. I don't know what more we need to watch from this group to start piercing together that maybe this is a Stanley Cup contender 2. And I get the devils are still a very young team with a whole lot to prove. This team needs to get to the playoffs and prove it can play in the playoffs before we start having discussions of them hoisting the trophy over their heads at Prudential Center in June. But even against Buffalo, a team that has been struggling for so long for the past three weeks to a month now, the devils go out and throw their backup goalie who has been a godsend to them through this run and he has a tremendous 33 save performance against Buffalo. Akira Schmid, the 22 year old Switzerland goalie that has been a rock star through four starts, has been a perfect fit alongside the red hot Vitek Vanecek in place of the injured Mackenzie Blackwood.
I can't wait to see how the devil's figure this out once Blackwood is fully healthy. If it turns out that they have to try and make a trade to get him to a contender or something of the sort, it is really going to be the funniest and most intriguing story out of this entire successful devils run. Hell, he might just sit up at the press box all game long until someone decides to change the lights or something. Schmid is off to a 4-0-0 start with a 1.24 goals against average and a bonkers .953 save percentage. Again, this is a 22 year old goalie who a month ago was probably preparing himself to play in the AHL for a bit, and now he is a major catalyst of being a strong number two option.
So, if I'm New Jersey, I'm immediately taking calls in regards to Blackwood. Does he still have enough left in the tank to give you some quality starts? Absolutely. I think he is someone who even if you got him to a young team that's on the cusp of the playoffs you are in a position to where you can make that happen. If these two continue to keep it up it would not shock me in the least to see Mackenzie Blackwood on the trade block at some point.
The devils are finding scoring everywhere and it's really incredible to see. Jack Hughes, health pending, is off to a tremendous start this season. Jesper bratt is also someone who continues to amaze every time he takes the ice. Brat actually leads the devils with 25 points, which is still the most mind boggling situation that could have happened. New jerseys leading scorer from last year is doing it again, and at the same time has not faltered off his productivity. That is what makes that run incredible.
Prediction
Washington could use some more goals from Alex Ovechkin, whenever that happens I have no idea but right now it is so hard to pick against New Jersey especially with Vanecek taking the net for this game. If he continues this pace up, New Jersey isn't losing anytime soon. Devils win 4-2
Betting trends
Devils are 7-24 at home revenging a loss over the last 3 seasons.
Devils are 7-0 when playing 2nd game in 5 days this season.
Devils are 5-0 after winning 4 or 5 of their last six the last 3 years.
Projected lines
Capitals:
Alex Ovechkin -- Dylan Strome -- Conor Sheary
Sonny Milano -- Evgeny Kuznetsov -- T.J. Oshie
Marcus Johansson -- Lars Eller -- Anthony Mantha
Aliaksei Protas -- Nic Dowd -- Garnet Hathaway
Erik Gustafsson -- John Carlson
Martin Fehervary -- Nick Jensen
Matt Irwin -- Trevor van Riemsdyk
Darcy Kuemper
Alex Ovechkin -- Dylan Strome -- Conor Sheary
Sonny Milano -- Evgeny Kuznetsov -- T.J. Oshie
Marcus Johansson -- Lars Eller -- Anthony Mantha
Aliaksei Protas -- Nic Dowd -- Garnet Hathaway
Erik Gustafsson -- John Carlson
Martin Fehervary -- Nick Jensen
Matt Irwin -- Trevor van Riemsdyk
Darcy Kuemper
Devils:
Tomas Tatar -- Nico Hischier -- Dawson Mercer
Erik Haula -- Jack Hughes -- Jesper Bratt
Yegor Sharangovich -- Jesper Boqvist -- Fabian Zetterlund
Miles Wood -- Michael McLeod -- Nathan Bastian
Jonas Siegenthaler -- Dougie Hamilton
Ryan Graves -- John Marino
Brendan Smith -- Damon Severson
Vitek Vanecek
Tomas Tatar -- Nico Hischier -- Dawson Mercer
Erik Haula -- Jack Hughes -- Jesper Bratt
Yegor Sharangovich -- Jesper Boqvist -- Fabian Zetterlund
Miles Wood -- Michael McLeod -- Nathan Bastian
Jonas Siegenthaler -- Dougie Hamilton
Ryan Graves -- John Marino
Brendan Smith -- Damon Severson
Vitek Vanecek
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
