On Saturday, the New Jersey Devils face the Pittsburgh Penguins at The Rock. Trailing just behind the Devils, the Penguins are currently ranked second in the Metropolitan Division. Both teams have earned 20 points this season, the Devils with a 10-4 record and the Penguins with a 9-4 record and two overtime losses. This matchup between the two could shake up the standings.
Both teams are going into Saturday with confidence, each from strong wins this past Thursday night. The Devils are currently coming off a 4-3 overtime win in their matchup against the Montreal Canadiens at home, while the Penguins pulled out a win against the Washington Capitals in a 5-3 victory at home.
According to this season’s statistics, both teams tend to do better at home. The Devils are currently undefeated at 6-0 when playing at the Prudential Center, while the Penguins are 4-2 in the Steel City. With the home arena advantage, the Devils could have the upper hand in this game.
The Devils are going into this matchup with strong lineups featuring many key players ready to take home another win. One of the biggest concerns for the Penguins is stopping Jack Hughes. A fan favorite, Hughes currently ranks third in the Metropolitan Division with 10 goals and eight assists. Similarly, Jesper Bratt and Dawson Mercer also promise to bring the Penguins trouble. Bratt has 15 points and Mercer has 14 as both players will likely be a challenge for Pittsburgh’s defense.
Despite the talent coming from Jersey, they are matched against some of the strongest players in their division. Leading his team in assists, Penguins Evgeni Malkin currently has three goals and 17 assists, which has also kept him in the top spot with points earned in the Metropolitan Division. Just behind him in the #2 spot is Sidney Crosby, one of the most renowned names in the NHL. Crosby has also been racking up the points, with 11 goals and eight assists. Combined with the rest of the Penguins’ talented roster, these two will definitely cause some chaos on the ice tomorrow afternoon.
Despite still being early in the season, both teams are still in the battle for a leading spot in the NHL Eastern Conference and a matchup like this one could turn the tables. Make sure to tune into the game at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday to watch this intense matchup.
