Devils vs Penguins Odds and Best NHL Pick for Thursday (Feb 24)
- The Pittsburgh Penguins face the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, February 24th
- The Pens are listed as heavy home favorites in the Thursday NHL odds
- Read below for Devils vs Penguins odds, predictions and best NHL pick
A busy Thursday in the NHL features a matchup between the Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils on February 24th. The puck drops at 7pm ET at PPG Paints Arena. Pittsburgh is being listed as -330 home favorites in the Devils vs Penguins Thursday NHL odds. Pittsburgh has dominated New Jersey over the past year and will look to to continue that success at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday.
Let’s take a look at the Devils vs Penguins odds and offer you our NHL best bet prediction.
Devils vs Penguins Odds
| Game Time | Team | Puck Line | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 pm ET | New Jersey Devils | +1.5 (+120) | O 6.5 (+105) | +260 |
| February 24th, 2022 | Pittsburgh Penguins | -1.5 (-140) | U 6.5 (-125) | -330 |
Odds as of Feb. 23rd at DraftKings.
The total for Devils vs Penguins is set at 6.5, while Pennsylvania online sports betting markets list Pittsburgh at -140 on the puckline. The Devils are +120 to keep the game within two goals.
Penguins Betting Value as Home Favorites
The Penguins certainly aren’t priced cheaply for their Thursday NHL game against the Devils. Pittsburgh is a -300 home betting favorite in the NHL odds for the first time since January 27th against Seattle. The Pens actually dropped that game to the Kraken by a 2-1 score.
Pittsburgh is typically a strong team at home, as they own a 14-7-5 record at PPG Paints Arena. They are currently on a two-game losing streak though, including a 4-3 loss to Carolina in their most recent outing Sunday.
There are two main reasons the Pens are heavily favored to beat the Devils. First, the Pens have a 31-point lead over the Devils in the Metropolitan Division. Second, Pittsburgh has won eight of 11 meetings with New Jersey since 2021.
Pittsburgh has great offensive firepower with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but their biggest strength this season has been defense. The Pens are allowing the fourth-fewest goals in the league, while goalie Tristan Jarry (.922 SV%) is a contender in the Vezina Trophy odds.
Devils Betting Outlook as Road Underdog
The Devils are priced as heavy road underdogs, despite welcoming back an important player vs Pittsburgh. Star defenceman Dougie Hamilton will return to the lineup Thursday after missing nearly two months with a broken jaw.
Hamilton returning is big for New Jersey, but he’s more likely to boost the team offensively than defensively. Hamilton recorded seven goals and 20 points in 30 games before his injury and is projected to slot in on the top powerplay unit vs the Penguins.
#NEWS: D Dougie Hamilton (broken jaw) has joined the team for practice in a no-contact jersey. pic.twitter.com/ed4yrEkBmt
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) January 26, 2022
The Devils are allowing a miserable 3.56 goals per game, which is fifth-worst in the league. One player returning isn’t going to magically resolve those issues. Goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood has struggled, posting a .894 save percentage and 3.29 GAA in 22 starts.
New Jersey is 7-15-2 on the road this season and 9-23 overall when listed as the betting underdog. The Devils lost their last two games against Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay before getting eight days off due to the NHL’s Winter Olympic break.
Penguins vs Devils Pick & Prediction
Both these teams will be well-rested coming into this matchup and eager to snap two-game losing streaks. The most recent meeting came just over a week ago when the Pens won 4-2 at Prudential Center. Jarry made 28 saves in the win, while Crosby had a pair of assists.
Penguins vs Devils Recent Results
| Date | Home-Away | Moneyline | Puck Line | Over/Under |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02/13/22 | NJD 2 – PIT 4 | PIT | PIT | Under |
| 12/19/21 | NJD 2 – PIT 5 | PIT | NJD | Under |
| 10/30/21 | PIT 2 – NJD 4 | NJD | NJD | Push |
| 04/24/21 | PIT 4 – NJD 2 | PIT | PIT | Push |
| 04/22/21 | PIT 5 – NJD 1 | PIT | PIT | Under |
The Penguins are clearly the superior team, but laying -330 juice is far from ideal. The Devils are coming off a long layoff, however, and are only 1-5 in their last 6 games playing on three or more days of rest. The Penguins have won their last five games in that same scenario.
The Penguins’ last seven victories against New Jersey have come in regulation, and that’s a trend that should continue here. Hamilton is a nice addition for NJD, but the Pens offensive starpower and goalie advantage makes them worthy of a 60-minute bet.
Take the Penguins to win in regulation at -195 at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Pick: Penguins Three-Way Line (-195)
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Brady is the lead NHL and College Football editor at Sports Betting Dime, where he specializes in betting odds and data-driven analysis. Brady has over 10 years experience working in sports media, with work published by outlets such as ESPN, CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports and Fox Sports.
