Adam Williams presents his prediction for the NHL match.
The second leg of this mini-series between the New Jersey Devils and the Minnesota Wild takes place at Prudential Center in the early hours of Tuesday. The Devils came out on top in the first meeting thanks to a hat-trick from Nico Hischier (33+29).
New Jersey Devils
With the Devils, consistency remains elusive. They continue to alternate solid performances with disappointing ones, and unfortunately, the latter have been more frequent of late. In March, the Devils ranked just 22nd in the league for average goals scored per game (2.72), and they sat even lower in xG (2.71) — on par with the likes of the Chicago Blackhawks, the Utah Hockey Club, the Detroit Red Wings and the San Jose Sharks, none of whom are in postseason contention.
Minnesota Wild
Things are even bleaker up front for the Wild. They have looked lost offensively without Kirill Kaprizov, managing just 29 goals in 14 games — the worst tally in the league this spring alongside the Boston Bruins. The Wild are picking up occasional points thanks to a conservative, defence-first approach and solid goaltending. They rely heavily on keeping scores low to have any shot at results. In March, they allowed more than three goals in only four games — and it’s hard to see a misfiring New Jersey Wild side repeating their outburst from the first meeting.
New Jersey Devils vs Minnesota Wild Prediction
The open nature of the first encounter was largely a product of two rare factors: an early start time and some disorganised defending from the off. Chances were flying straight from the opening faceoff, with the first goal arriving just 30 seconds in. In the end, the teams combined for seven goals from just 4.33 xG. A repeat of that chaotic script feels unlikely. Expect a more measured affair this time.
