The New Jersey Devils’ first games under new coach Sheldon Keefe have shown potential and growth. One of those games was a 5-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks in Prague. However, in their home game, they lost 3-2 overtime to the Toronto Maple Leafs. This loss showed how weak their defense was. Even though Jack Hughes played well and scored two goals, the Devils’ offense couldn’t make the most of their power play chances. Nico Hischier, who is their leader, has had a slow start. In three games, he has only set up one goal. The defense, which Dougie Hamilton leads, has let in 12 goals in three games, which is a problem. Goalie Jacob Markstrom, who had a.913 save percentage and a 2.58 goals-against average last season, was added to the team to improve their netminding. However, he’ll need to improve on his recent play to help the Devils get wins.
The Washington Capitals are a big threat to the Devils, even though they have yet to play this season. Last year, the Capitals beat the Devils 14–7 and won the season series 3–1. The Capitals’ attack, which Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov lead, has always been tough for the Devils’ defense. The Capitals’ power play, which was ranked 10th last year, should be able to beat the Devils’ weak penalty kill. The best bet for this game is for the total to be less than 6.5 goals. This is because the Capitals’ attack should be strong, and the Devils’ defence should have a hard time. Even though the Capitals are good at scoring goals, the Devils’ better offence and Markstrom’s presence in the net should keep the game close and low-scoring.