Chicago Blackhawks center Dylan Strome (17) shoots as Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) blocks the shot and Panthers defenseman Radko Gudas (7) assists during the third period of a game NHL Hockey on Thursday, March 31, 2022, in Sunrise, Fla (AP Photo/Reinhold Matay)
- The Florida Panthers head to New Jersey to face the Prudential Center Devils at 12:30 p.m. ET
- Sergei Bobrovsky should start against Nico Daws
- Read below for Panthers vs Devils odds, predictions and the best NHL betting pick for Saturday.
After an easy win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night, the Florida Panthers take on the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, April 2. The puck drop is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. ET at the Prudential Center. The match will be broadcast on MSG+, BSFL and NHL Network. The Florida Panthers are listed at -210 odds, with New Jersey at +170 in Panthers vs Devils odds. Saturday’s NHL odds put Florida covering the puck line at +120.
Can the hugely favored Florida Panthers win on the road to New Jersey? Let’s see what the NHL’s best pick is for this morning.
Panthers vs. Devils Odds
| Team | Moneyline | propagated | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Panthers | -210 | -1.5 (+120) | O 6.5 (-125) |
| New Jersey Devils | +175 | +1.5 (-140) | U 6.5 (-105) |
Odds as of April 1 on Caesars Sportsbook
New Jersey’s online sportsbook markets put the Over at 6.5 (-125) in the Panthers vs. Devils odds on Saturday afternoon.
Devils Betting Outlook
Although the New Jersey Devils aren’t playing that badly, they still don’t have a consistent enough team defense and goalie.
Currently, New Jersey holds the last spot in the Metropolitan Division and has 14 games under .500. After losing seven of their last ten, they are still 24-38-5 this season and are battling with Philadelphia for the basement.
New Jersey is 31 points in the NHL playoff table. They were officially eliminated after Thursday night’s 8-1 loss to the Boston Bruins.
The New Jersey Devils are the fifth team eliminated from the 2021-22 playoffs.
— Micah Blake McCurdy (@IneffectiveMath) April 1, 2022
Unfortunately, New Jersey has only managed 25 goals in its last nine games. New Jersey has allowed over 3.6 goals per game since Feb. 1, that’s bad. Worse still, their goalkeeper and team defense never seem to be consistently in sync.
Although Nico Daws has been good at times, the defense is making too many glaring mistakes to have no veteran goaltenders. Andrew Hammond is still injured, so that’s how it is.
The focus for the New Jersey Devils shifts squarely to next season after being knocked out of playoff competition last night. Goalkeepers have been a major problem this season and finding a solution in the net should be high on the list of off-season priorities. #NJDevils pic.twitter.com/oi93MHrmp0
—Greg Amundsen (@PuckLuck83) April 1, 2022
There is no candidate for the Vézina Trophy here, nor even an average goaltender. However, Daws has also been cracking up lately. He has given up 18 goals in his last five starts. His save percentage has dropped to .894 this season.
Therefore, NHL odds range from +170 to +200. Additionally, 62% of the betting percentage is on the New Jersey moneyline (+200) and 45% ATS.
Panthers NHL Betting Outlook
A 7-2-1 streak kept the Panthers’ Stanley Cup odds around +550. They started 2021-22 at +2000 to win the Stanley Cup. With the acquisition of Claude Giroux, this only further helped the Eastern Association leaders.
There will always be a question mark over whether Sergei Bobrovsky or even Spencer Knight can be supported in goal for the playoffs. However, at the moment, so far so good.
Sergei Bobrovsky went 7-0 with two shutouts despite being out for two weeks after being hit in the face with a puck.
On Friday, he was named one of the NHL’s Three Stars for March. https://t.co/5slwytgMTn
—George Richards (@GeorgeRichards) April 1, 2022
Florida is nestled just behind the Colorado Avalanche for the best team in the NHL. They rank first in goals at 4.06 while allowing 2.89. Florida has six players with 49 or more points.
Panthers vs Devils Recent Results
| Dated | Results | Moneyline | puckline | More less |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18/11/2021 | Panthers 4 Devils 1 | FLORIDA | FLORIDA | Under |
| 09/11/2021 | Devils 7 Panthers 3 | NJD | NJD | More than |
| 02/11/2020 | Panthers 5 Devils 3 | FLORIDA | FLORIDA | More than |
| 10/14/2019 | Panthers 6 Devils 4 | FLORIDA | FLORIDA | More than |
| 04/06/2019 | Devils 4 Panthers 3 (OT) | NJD | NJD | More than |
Panthers vs. Devils Pick
The Panthers have won three of the last four meetings against the Devils and covered every one of those games. Florida remains a heavy favorite on the road and Sergei Bobrovsky is 17-5-1 against New Jersey in his career.
Now Florida has 98 points and leads the Eastern Conference on a better point percentage. Florida is a solid 18-9-6 away from home.
CATS WIN!! What a night…
Bob throws a shutout. Huby sets the assists record for LW. Franchise record for home wins.
Perfect sending on the road for the weekend. @FlaPanthers #TimeToHunt
— Noah Hershman (@hershnoahz) April 1, 2022
At least New Jersey has a good top six with Jack Hughes. Hughes has 55 points (25 goals) in 47 games. His shots per game are close to four since returning from injury. Jesper Bratt rocked a slow start to lead the team with 65 points in 62 games. After that, the bottom six are pedestrianized and again there are the team defense and goalkeeping issues.
If New Jersey can get Florida to play their frenetic style without making too many mistakes, it could be one hell of a morning. Otherwise, Florida will run away with this game. The depth of the Panthers can shred the Devils repeatedly.
The approach with this weekend afternoon contest is not to overthink it here. Take the Panthers in regulation and consider the puckline if it stays at +115 or better.
Choose: Panthers in regulation (-150)
Chris Wassel
sports editor
A veteran journalist for over two decades, Chris has taught the full gamut of online fantasy hockey sports, from injuries to news to prospects, and more. He has bet on several sports and writes sports betting articles on the NBA, MLB, NCAA football, NFL and NHL for USA Today.