The Pittsburgh Penguins (15-14-5) travel to face off against the New Jersey Devils (21-11-3) on Saturday, December 21st. This game will be played at Prudential Center in Newark and televised on ESPN+. The Penguins are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Devils are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Flames. Puck drop is set for 7:00 ET.

Penguins vs Devils

The Pittsburgh Penguins Are Coming Off A Win

With a 3-1 victory over the Canadiens, the Penguins improved to 15-14-5. Pittsburgh, favored by -1.5 goals, covered the puck line, and the total of 4 goals fell short of the 6.5 set by oddsmakers.

Sidney Crosby led the way with two goals, including one in the first period at 15:57. The Canadiens scored their only goal at 5:32 in the third, but Blake Lizotte sealed the win with an empty-netter at 19:15.

The New Jersey Devils Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

New Jersey’s 3-0 loss to the Flames brought their record to 21-11-3. The Devils were favored on the puck line and failed to cover. The total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 3 fell short of that mark.

All of the game’s scoring happened in the third period. Blake Coleman scored at 14:26, and the Flames added two more goals, including an empty-netter, to seal the win.

Pittsburgh Offense Breakdown

Sidney Crosby led the way for the Penguins in their 3-1 win over Montreal, netting his 4th and 5th goals of the season. Blake Lizotte added an empty-netter, his 2nd of the year. Pittsburgh took 24 shots on goal and scored once on the power play.

The Penguins scored in each period, with Crosby’s first goal coming just 4:03 into the game. He added a second at 1:20 in the second period. Pittsburgh had 14 giveaways in the game.

Devils Offense Breakdown

New Jersey’s offense was shut out in their 3-0 loss to Calgary. The Devils managed 22 shots on goal but couldn’t find the back of the net. They also recorded 19 giveaways in the game.

New Jersey failed to score in any period, including on their power play opportunities. The team was held scoreless for the entire game, marking the first time this season they’ve been shut out.

Pittsburgh Team Defense

Pittsburgh’s defense will look to carry over momentum from their last game, where they allowed just one goal to Montreal. Alex Nedeljkovic made 25 saves with a 96.2% save percentage, and the Penguins’ defense added 5 takeaways and 19 hits. The only goal they gave up came 5:32 into the 3rd period.

New Jersey Team Defense

New Jersey’s defense was solid through the first two periods, but they gave up three goals in the third—two at 14:26 and 16:45, plus an empty-netter at 16:45. The Devils’ defense finished with 5 takeaways and 22 hits, while their goalie made 29 saves with a 93.5% save percentage.

Penguins vs Devils Trends

• When looking at their past three road matchups, Pittsburgh has an puck line record of 3-0 while averaging 5 per game. The team went 2-1 overall in these games.
• When looking at their past three matchups at home, New Jersey has an puck line record of 2-1 while averaging 2 per game. The team went 2-1 overall in these games.
• In their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Devils have a straight up record of 4-6 and an puck line mark of 7-3.
• Looking back on the team’s last ten games as the favorite, the Penguins have a straight up record of 7-3. Their record vs the puck line in these games was 4-6.

Penguins vs Devils Prediction

For a moneyline bet, I’m backing the Penguins to secure a victory over the Devils on the road. With the moneyline currently set at +187, I’m locking in my bet on the Penguins straight-up.

If you’re looking to get a bet down on this matchup, we foresee the Penguins winning the underdog. However, if you’re not as confident in the Penguins straight-up, we’d still recommend placing a bet 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.

---

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

---

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.