New Jersey Devils - Chicago Blackhawks predictions and free betting tips [06/01/2024]

The New Jersey Devils will take on the Chicago Blackhawks in a regular NHL championship match tomorrow morning.

New Jersey Devils

The New Jersey Devils have shown improvement, winning 4 out of their last 5 matches, including an impressive victory against the Washington Capitals with a 6:3 score just yesterday. Since Thanksgiving, the team has a 13-6-1 record, despite the absence of key players due to injury. Notably, defenseman Dougie Hamilton and forwards Ondrej Palat and Timo Meier are out, but centers Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier are returning to form after missing games due to injury. Luke Hughes, a Devils defenseman in his first full NHL season, has already made a name for himself with 22 points and was named the third star of last week. New Jersey is outside the playoff zone, but is actively battling for the second playoff ticket of the Eastern Conference, only one point behind Tampa, having beaten the previously defeated Washington in the last match.

The team is showing aggressive play, scoring an average of 3.46 goals per game and admitting 3.54. The team's power play and penalty kill efficiency is impressive. The point leader is Jack Hughes with 15 goals and 29 assists. Despite missing five games, he has scored 24 points over the last 18 games. In the last match, Hischier, McLeod, and Mercer each scored twice, highlighting the depth of the team's roster and its ability to mount a strong attack.

Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks continue their struggle in the current NHL season, ranking 30th both in offense and defense in the league. The team is at the bottom of the standings despite impressive performances by newcomer Bedard, who scored 15 goals and made 17 assists. Since the beginning of December, Chicago's performance has worsened - the team has suffered 6 defeats out of 7 matches, including the recent games against New York, Dallas, and Nashville, where they conceded 20 goals. The team's overall record shows 11 wins and 24 losses. Goalie Petr Mrazek has been consistent, but this is not enough given the team's weak defense. Injured players include Anthony Beauvillier, Taylor Hall and top defenseman Seth Jones. The problem is particularly noticeable in games where Bedard does not score points, in such games the team mostly loses.

The team strives to maintain optimism and hope for improved results, but with the current statistic of 4 wins and 15 losses in away matches, the task of improving positions seems daunting. Russian defenseman Nikita Zaitsev shows modest results with 1 goal and 4 assists in 20 matches. Overall, it's been a markedly negative season for the Blackhawks, and the team has a lot of work ahead to improve their performance.

Head-to-Head

In the last head-to-head encounters between Chicago and New Jersey, the Devils have dominated, bagging three consecutive wins. The last game on November 6th, 2023 ended with New Jersey winning 4:2. Prior to that, on April 2nd, 2023, the Devils won 6:3, and on December 7th, 2022 - with a 3:0 result. However, in the match on February 26th, 2022, the Chicago Blackhawks decisively beat New Jersey 8:5.

Prediction for the New Jersey Devils - Chicago Blackhawks match

Theaway team is heading into a back-to-back after a heavy defeat to New York yesterday - they have very low chances against a formidable New Jersey. I place my bets on a confident win for the Devils by at least 2 points.In the upcoming game, the Devils can count on an aggressive attack, thanks to Hughes and Bratt, who are capable of creating threats in the attack zone and providing open shots with an average of 3.5 goals per game.