The New Jersey Devils (36-25-6) face the Pittsburgh Penguins (27-31-10) at PPG Paints Arena, with puck drop scheduled for 3pm ET on ABC/ESPN+. The Devils enter as -150 road favorites, seeking their fourth consecutive victory.

New Jersey has dominated recent matchups, winning nine of their last 10 meetings with Pittsburgh, including both games this season. The Devils' success stems from their elite defense, ranking second in the NHL with 2.52 GAA and third with an 82.9% penalty kill rate.

The Devils' offense averages 2.99 goals per game (14th in NHL), with a 5-1-0 record in their last 10 games when scoring at least three goals. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh struggles defensively, posting the second-worst GAA (3.56) in the league while generating just 2.85 goals per game.

Key betting trends:

• Devils have won first two matchups this season (3-2 SO, 3-0)
• Teams have gone Under in four of last five meetings
• Pittsburgh has won three straight as moneyline underdogs

Player prop consideration: Jesper Bratt over 0.5 assists (-135). The Devils winger has recorded points in 10 of his last 12 games against Pittsburgh, including multiple assists in his last two overall games.

Prediction: Despite Pittsburgh's recent three-game win streak, New Jersey's defensive prowess and historical dominance in this matchup make the Devils ML (-150) the strongest play.

Game odds:

• Moneyline: Devils -150, Penguins +125
• Puck line: Penguins +1.5 (-210), Devils -1.5 (+175)
• Total: 5.5 goals (Over -120, Under -210)

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