Adam Williams presents his prediction for the NHL match.
The New Jersey Devils are limping towards the finish line of the regular season, largely due to a growing injury list. They have managed to hold on to third place in their division more because of their rivals’ inconsistency than their own performances. Meanwhile, their upcoming opponents, the Boston Bruins, have effectively written off this campaign and are currently using games to test different line-up combinations.
Boston Bruins
The Bruins occasionally manage to grind out a win, but they haven’t recorded consecutive victories in over a month. That’s hardly surprising given that, aside from David Pastrňák (42+62), the squad lacks a consistent goal-scoring threat. Their second-best scorer, Morgan Geekie, is ten goals behind him, while their previous third-highest goal contributor, Brad Marchand, is now playing in Florida. The team often fields developing prospects such as Fabian Lysell, John Farinacci, and Fraser Minten, who are still adapting to the pace and demands of the NHL.
New Jersey Devils
The Devils are heading into the playoffs with little momentum, and hopes for a deep run this year appear slim. With key playmaker Jack Hughes and first-choice defenceman Dougie Hamilton both sidelined, the squad lacks the creativity and defensive stability to compete at a high level. Over their last three games, the Devils have scored only four goals, and they’ve been forced to rely on Ondřej Palát in their top line — a player who has predominantly played on the third line throughout the season.
Boston Bruins vs New Jersey Devils Prediction
These teams faced off just a week ago, in a game that perfectly illustrated a collapse by the New Jersey Devils. The Boston Bruins somehow scored seven goals from just 1.57 xG at even strength. A repeat of that statistical outlier seems highly improbable, and the New Jersey Devils lack the offensive firepower to turn this into a high-scoring contest. This match is likely to be a low-scoring affair.
