New Jersey Devils at Tampa Bay Lightning

By Sam Batz

The New Jersey Devils play the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday, March 19th (7:00 PM EST, NHLPP/ESPN+). The Devils and Lightning just played a back-to-back matchup on Tuesday and Wednesday and play the final game of the regular season on Sunday. The Lightning won both of the previous games against the Devils, scoring 4 goals in each contest, while the Devils scored a total of 4 goals in both games combined. Sunday’s the final meeting of the season between New Jersey and Tampa Bay. The Lightning are favored at -140 while the Devils are the underdogs, priced at +120. 

New Jersey Devils Breakdown (+120)

The Devils are 44-18-7 with 95 points through 69 games. They are 2nd in the Metropolitan Division and 3rd in the Eastern Conference. They will make the playoffs, but in their last 10 games have gone 5-3-2. They have lost their last three games, two of those to the Lightning, who trail the Devils by just 5 points. The Devils have lost momentum at one of the worst times, and on Sunday, face an opponent who the Devils have gone 0-2-0 against. 

Tampa Bay Lightning Breakdown (-140)

The Lightning are 42-22-6 with 90 points through 70 games. They are 3rd in the Atlantic Division and 5th in the Eastern Conference. Similar to the Devils, the Lightning will make the playoffs but are not mathematically guaranteed a spot in the postseason. In their last 10 games, they are 5-3-2 but have won their last 3 matchups, averaging 4.3 goals per game. The Lightning are 2-0-0 against New Jersey, averaging 4 goals per game against the Devils, and on Sunday, host the Devils at home for the first time this season. 

Devils vs. Lightning Odds 

Team	Spread (Opening)	Total (Current)	Moneyline (Current)
New Jersey Devils	+1.5 (-204)	Ov 6.5 (-115)	+115
Tampa Bay Lightning	-1.5 (+164)	Un 6 (-105)	-136

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Devils vs. Lightning: Season Stats

New Jersey Devils (44-18-7) 95 239 (6th) 185 (4th) +54 3.46 (7th) 2.68 (4th) 19-13-3 (54.3%) 25-5-4 (73.5%)

Stat Type Pts Total GF Total GA G Diff GF/GP GA/GP Home (Win-rate) Away (Win-rate)

Tampa Bay Lightning (42-22-6) 90 238 (7th) 211 (14th) +27 3.47 (6th) 3.01 (14th) 25-6-5 (69.4%) 17-16-1 (50.0%)

Devils vs. Lightning: Betting Trends

New Jersey Devils 34-35 21-13 (Away) 19-21 (vs. East) 33-32-4 5-5 14-4-3 (as Underdogs) 12-2-2 (Underdogs Away)

Betting Trend ATS (Season) ATS (Home/Away) ATS (Conference) O/U (Season) O/U (Last 10) ML (Favorite/Underdog) ML (Home/Away)

Tampa Bay Lightning 33-37 20-16 (Home) 17-21 (vs. East) 36-26-8 6-3-1 37-13-6 (as Favorites) 24-6-5 (Favorites Home)

Devils vs. Lightning: Key Players

New Jersey Devils – Jack Hughes (Center): The 21-year old former first overall draft pick leads his team with 81 points (37 goals, 44 assists) and has the 15th-most points out of all players. Hughes has been the focal point of the New Jersey offense, leading in goals scored, and coming in second for assists. Hughes has 0.7 points per game in his last 10 matchups. I predict the young up-and-comer wil record at least 1 point against the Lightning on Sunday. 

Tampa Bay Lightning – Brayden Point (Center): Tampa Bay’s starting Center has 81 points (43 goals, 38 assists), the second-most on the team. Points has recorded the most goals for the Lightning, leading all other players by 13 goals. In his last 10 games, he recorded 0.6 goals per game (6 goals, 5 assist). I predict Brayden Point will add to his total by lighting the lamp at least once on Sunday. 

Devils vs. Lightning Prediction

Take the New Jersey Devils (-204) to cover the spread. I also like the Tampa Bay moneyline (-136), but with the two sides so close in nearly every statistical metric, I think the Devils will keep it close, and will either win the game or lose by no more than 2 goals. Both New Jersey and Tampa Bay are set to make the playoffs, even if they haven’t officially clinched, but in a matchup that will have postseason energy, these teams will be out to prove they are the better side. New Jersey has a better defense, but against the Lightning, can’t seem to lock-it down. Regardless, Sunday’s contest will be tightly contested, and I fully expect the Devils to keep it close. 

Prediction: New Jersey Devils (-204) cover the spread by the under (6.5); Final score: 3-2

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