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New York Rangers vs New Jersey Devils December 2nd 2024
Looking to win big? The Devils and Rangers face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Rangers are hosting the game at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. The Devils are favored by -1.5 in this Metropolitan division showdown. The game’s over/under is currently at 6.5 goals.
New Jersey vs. New York Key Information
- Teams: Devils at Rangers
- Where: Madison Square Garden New York
- Date: Monday, December 2nd
- Betting Odds NJ -125 | NYR +105 O/U 6.5
The Devils Can Win If…
New Jersey fell to 16-9-2 after a 3-0 loss to the Flames. The Devils were favored on the puck line, but failed to cover. The total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 3 fell short of that mark.
The game was scoreless until the third period, when the Flames broke through at 5:34. Calgary added two more goals, including an empty-netter, to seal the win.
The Devils were shut out in their last game, managing 22 shots on goal but failing to find the back of the net. They were held scoreless through all three periods, including a third period where Calgary scored three times.
New Jersey struggled with giveaways, tallying 19 in the game. None of their players recorded a goal or an assist.
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New Jersey’s defense held strong through the first two periods, but they gave up the first goal at 5:34 in the 3rd and another at 14:54, eventually losing 3-0. The Devils also had 5 takeaways and 22 hits.
- Across New Jersey’s last three regular season games, their record sits at 1-2. In these contests, the team went just 0-3 against the spread, while going 2-1 on the over-under.
- Through their last ten regular season contests, New Jersey has a record of 6-4. This includes going 4-6 vs. the puck line along with an over-under mark of 4-5-1.
The Rangers Can Win If…
With a 5-2 win over the Islanders, the Rangers improved to 13-9-1. The Rangers covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 7 goals surpassed the pre-game line of 6.
Four different players contributed to the Rangers’ scoring, with Artemi Panarin leading the way with two goals. The Rangers built a 2-0 lead before the Islanders responded, but New York pulled away with two more goals in the third period.
Artemi Panarin led the way for the Rangers with his 8th and 9th goals of the season, including an empty-netter. Chris Kreider got things started with his 8th goal, a shorthanded effort, while Vincent Trocheck added his 4th goal of the year. Adam Edstrom also found the net for the first time this season.
The Rangers fired 40 shots on goal and recorded 14 giveaways. Mika Zibanejad picked up his 7th and 8th assists, while Adam Fox added his 9th assist on a power play goal by Panarin.
Defensively, the Rangers will look to build on their last game, where they allowed just 2 goals. Igor Shesterkin had a strong performance, making 35 saves with a 94.6% save percentage. The defense also contributed 10 takeaways and 19 hits. The Rangers will aim to carry their 3rd-period defensive momentum into their next game, as they didn’t allow a goal in the final period against the Islanders.
- Across New York’s last three regular season games, their record sits at 1-2. Their record against the puck line in this stretch is 1-2 to go along with an over-under mark of 2-1.
- Across New York’s last ten regular season games, their record sits at 4-6. Across these games, their puck line record was just 2-8, while posting an over-under record of 6-4.
The Lean
When it comes to a moneyline wager, I’m going with the Rangers to defeat the Devils while playing at home. Given the current moneyline odds at +105, I’m placing a wager on the Rangers to win outright.
If you’re looking to get a bet down on this matchup, we foresee the Rangers winning the underdog. However, if you’re not as confident in the Rangers straight-up, we’d still recommend placing a bet on them to cover the puck line.
If you’re looking at the the over/under line set at 6.5 goals, our prediction is that this game will stay below that threshold, and we strongly suggest placing a bet on the under.
After Ending Five-Game Slide, Rangers Take Aim at Rival Devils
The New York Rangers looked like a different team on Saturday, and although the win wasn’t easy, they snapped an ugly five-game losing streak in dramatic fashion.
Now, with momentum on their side, the Rangers will aim to start a winning streak when they host the New Jersey Devils on Monday night.
Rangers Break Skid with Physical Edge
The Rangers had been outscored 21-10 during their five-game skid, their longest since the end of the 2020-21 season. The stretch was marked by slow starts, a lack of physicality, and few power-play opportunities.
Saturday’s 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens offered a welcome change. The Rangers tied a season-high with three power-play goals, including Kaapo Kakko’s game-winner with 24 seconds remaining during a four-minute man advantage. They also held a first-period lead for the first time since Nov. 9.
The Rangers played with a noticeable edge, racking up 17 penalty minutes— their second-highest total of the season. That included defenseman Jacob Trouba’s fight with Montreal’s Josh Anderson less than two minutes into the game and a skirmish late in the second period.
Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad powered the offense, each scoring on the power play. Panarin also set up Zibanejad’s goal late in the second period.
“Sometimes when you’re trying to get out of something, that first one you get out of might not be the prettiest, and it wasn’t,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. “But we’ve got to draw on the positives of what we were able to do from the physicality and the start, the fact that we kicked it up, and we came back and won it.”
Devils Aim to Shore Up Special Teams
The Devils have surged since a four-game losing streak in late October, going 11-5-0 in their last 16 games. During this span, they’ve navigated both high-scoring shootouts and defensive battles, though their penalty kill has faltered of late.
New Jersey allowed four power-play goals on nine chances in a back-to-back set against the Detroit Red Wings and Washington Capitals over the weekend. The Devils escaped with a 5-4 win in Detroit on Friday but fell 6-5 at home to Washington on Saturday after allowing three power-play goals in a 10-minute stretch.
Nico Hischier, Justin Dowling, and Jesper Bratt all scored in the loss, but the Devils surrendered two goals in 10 seconds during the third period to give up the lead.
“We take a lot of pride in our penalty kill and tonight it arguably cost us the game,” Brett Pesce said. “So, just learn from it and we’ve got a big (game) Monday. And hopefully we can bounce back.”
Heated Rivalry Renewed
The Devils hold a seven-point lead over the Rangers in the standings but have played four more games. New York swept all four meetings last season, outscoring New Jersey 17-8. Their last meeting on April 3 included a line brawl two seconds into the contest, resulting in 166 combined penalty minutes.
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Players to Watch
- Rangers: Artemi Panarin has been a consistent offensive force, while Kaapo Kakko will look to build on his late heroics from Saturday. Jacob Trouba’s physicality could set the tone in what promises to be another heated battle.
- Devils: Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt have been reliable scorers, while goaltender Vitek Vanecek will aim to steady the ship on the penalty kill.
Game Outlook
The Rangers’ renewed physicality and improved special teams will be tested against a Devils team looking to rebound from recent defensive lapses. With both teams eyeing critical divisional points, expect another intense chapter in this storied rivalry.
