New Jersey Devils vs Tampa Bay Lightning Picks and Predictions October 22nd 2024

Planning on watching today’s Lightning and Devils game? Catch the action at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, as the Devils hosts this showdown at 6:45 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this Eastern conference contest is set at 6.5 goals, with the Devils being favored by -1.5 goals at home against the Lightning.

Tampa Bay vs. New Jersey Key Information

• Teams: Lightning at Devils
• Where: Prudential Center Newark
• Date: Tuesday, October 22nd
• Betting Odds NJ -164 | TB +136 O/U 6.5

The Lightning Can Win If…

Tampa Bay fell to 3-2-0 after a 5-2 loss to the Maple Leafs. The Lightning were underdogs on the puck line, and the total of 7 goals surpassed the pre-game line of 6.5.

The Lightning tied the game at 1-1 in the first period, but the Maple Leafs scored four unanswered goals in the second. Tampa Bay added a goal in the third, but it was too late to mount a comeback.

In their latest game, Tampa Bay took 34 shots on goal but only found the net twice. Nick Paul scored his second goal of the season, while Brayden Point added his third, which came on a power play in the third period.

Victor Hedman contributed with two assists, bringing his season total to six. The Lightning had 10 giveaways during the game.

Defensively, the Lightning will be looking to bounce back after allowing five goals to the Maple Leafs, with four coming in the second period. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 10 saves but posted a save percentage of just 71.4%. Tampa Bay’s defense registered 4 takeaways and 20 hits.

• Tampa Bay has put together a record of 1-2 in their last three games (regular season). Against the spread, Tampa Bay went 0-3 in these games and finished with an over-under mark of 3-0.
• The Lightning have gone 4-6 over their last ten regular season games. Their record vs the puck line sits at 5-5 in these matchups, while posting a 6-4 over-under mark.

The Devils Can Win If…

The Devils fell to 5-2-1 after a 6-5 road loss to the Capitals. New Jersey led 1-0 early, but Washington responded with three straight goals in the first period. The Devils were favored on the puck line (-1.5) and the total of 11 goals easily surpassed the pre-game line of 6.

Four different Devils players found the net, with Nico Hischier leading the way with two goals. New Jersey managed to tie the game at 5-5 in the third period, but Tom Wilson’s goal at 16:00 in the final period sealed the win for the Capitals.

New Jersey’s offense fired 31 shots on goal and scored 5 times in their recent game against Washington. Nico Hischier netted his 4th and 5th goals of the season, while Dougie Hamilton added his first, which came on a power play. Dawson Mercer also found the net for the 2nd time this season, and Erik Haula opened the scoring for the Devils.

Timo Meier contributed with two assists, bringing his total to 5 this season. Stefan Noesen also picked up his 6th assist on Hischier’s 4th goal. The Devils had 12 giveaways in the game.

New Jersey’s defense struggled in their last game, allowing the first three goals and the final three, including the game-winner in overtime. Jacob Markstrom made 31 saves with a save percentage of 83.8%. The Devils’ defense recorded 15 blocks, 32 hits, and 2 takeaways.

• Through their last three regular season contests, New Jersey has a record of 1-2. In these matchups, they ended with an puck line record of 1-2 and an over-under mark of 1-1-1.
• Over their last ten regular season games, the Devils have gone 5-5 straight up. This includes going 6-4 vs. the puck line along with an over-under mark of 2-7-1.

The Lean

If you’re looking for a moneyline pick, my choice is the Lightning to take down the Devils on the road. With the moneyline currently at +136, I’m placing my bet on the Lightning straight-up.

Our projections have the Lightning pulling out a win as the underdog. But if you’re not as bullish as we are on the Lightning, we’d recommend at least getting a bet down on them to cover the puck line.

If you’re looking at the over/under line set at 6.5 goals, our prediction is that this game will exceed that mark, and we strongly advise placing a bet on the over.

Devils Hope Home Edge Helps as Lightning Visit

The New Jersey Devils are looking to improve their home performance when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday evening. After struggling at Prudential Center last season, where they earned just 37 points in 41 games (17-21-3) and allowed the second-most home goals in the NHL (149), the Devils are eager to reverse that trend this season.

However, the Devils’ home record so far remains inconsistent at 1-1-1 following their 6-5 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals on Saturday. Despite moments of brilliance, such as Nico Hischier’s two goals scored just 10 seconds apart in the second period — the fastest two goals by the same player in franchise history — the Devils still fell short.

New Jersey’s performance on Saturday showed both resilience and areas of concern. After surrendering three straight goals in the first period, they rallied to tie the score twice but ultimately lost in overtime.

“We didn’t deserve to win that game,” Hischier said. “It was good that we fought back and got a point out of it, but we were outcompeted, outskated in the first period, and that should not happen. If that’s not there every game, you’re not giving yourself a chance to win in this league.”

New Jersey’s Injuries and Adjustments

On the injury front, the Devils are awaiting the return of key defensemen Brett Pesce and Luke Hughes. Pesce, who sustained a fractured fibula during the playoffs last season with the Carolina Hurricanes, is still recovering from offseason surgery. Hughes, who injured his shoulder during offseason training, is also out but did not require surgery.

In preparation for Tuesday’s game, New Jersey recalled defenseman Daniil Misyul from Utica of the American Hockey League and returned rookie defenseman Seamus Casey to Utica.

Lightning Look to Rebound After Tough Loss

The Tampa Bay Lightning, on the other hand, are coming off a disappointing 5-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night. “Every time we made an error, they took advantage of it,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said after the game. “It was just one of those nights. … It happens when you play 82 games. It’s just too bad that it happened in game 5.”

Tampa Bay starter Andrei Vasilevskiy was pulled midway through the second period after stopping only 10 of 14 shots, and Jonas Johansson finished the game, stopping 14 of 15 shots in his season debut. Johansson is expected to start Tuesday’s game against New Jersey.

In two career starts against the Devils, Johansson holds a 1-1 record with a .913 save percentage and a 2.03 goals-against average. Last season, he made 24 starts and appeared in 26 games for Tampa Bay, posting a 12-7-5 record with an .890 save percentage and a 3.37 GAA.

For the Lightning, Nicholas Paul has been a bright spot, scoring in back-to-back games and accumulating five points (two goals, three assists) in the first five games of the season. Paul is coming off a career-best season where he tallied 24 goals and 22 assists.

Brayden Point also scored against Toronto, bringing his total to five points (two goals, three assists) through five games. He will look to continue that production against the Devils.

Key Matchups

Jonas Johansson vs. New Jersey’s Attack

With Johansson likely getting the nod in net, Tampa Bay will rely on him to hold off a New Jersey offense that has shown bursts of power, particularly from players like Hischier and Meier.

Nico Hischier’s Leadership vs. Tampa Bay’s Defense

Hischier’s explosive performance against Washington shows that he’s in good form, but he’ll need to continue leading by example if New Jersey is to secure more home victories.

Power Play Opportunities

Both teams will need to capitalize on special teams. Tampa Bay struggled against Toronto, and New Jersey will need to ensure their power play units remain sharp.

Game Outlook

Both teams are looking to bounce back from tough recent games. The Devils have the motivation to improve their home record and show better defensive discipline, while Tampa Bay aims to shake off Monday’s loss and find consistency in net with Johansson.

Join for Top Betting Strategies! Register Today.

Prediction

Expect a tightly contested game, with both teams trying to clean up their mistakes from their previous outings. New Jersey’s hunger to improve at home might give them the edge.

Devils 4, Lightning 3 (OT)