Pittsburgh Penguins vs New Jersey Devils Picks and Predictions for Thursday April 9, 2026
The Pittsburgh Penguins travel to Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey to face the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at 7:00 PM on ESPN+. The Devils are listed at -112 on the moneyline, while the Penguins come in at -108. The puck line has Pittsburgh at +1.5 (-250) and New Jersey at -1.5 (+205), with the total set at 6.5 goals. Be sure to check out free NHL Picks before placing any wagers.
Pittsburgh Carrying Offensive Momentum Into This Matchup
The Penguins enter this contest with a 40-22-16 record, including a strong 20-10-8 mark on the road. They have been playing well recently, winning four of their last five games. Pittsburgh most recently picked up back-to-back wins over Florida by scores of 5-2 and 9-4. Prior to that, they lost 6-3 at Tampa Bay but also secured wins over Detroit and the Islanders during this stretch. Overall, this is a team that has been generating offense consistently and finding ways to close out games.
Statistically, Pittsburgh is averaging 3.55 goals per game while allowing 3.08 goals against. They are producing 28.9 shots per game and allowing 27.3 shots, which shows a fairly balanced but slightly favorable shot profile. On the power play, the Penguins have scored 56 goals and are converting at an efficient 24.7%. Defensively, their penalty kill is operating at 81.7%, allowing 42 power-play goals. They have also added 6 shorthanded goals.
A key strength for Pittsburgh is their offensive output combined with their power play efficiency. Averaging 3.55 goals per game and converting nearly 25% of their power-play opportunities gives them multiple ways to generate scoring chances, which has clearly shown up during their recent run of high-scoring wins.
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New Jersey Looking to Respond on Home Ice
The Devils come into this matchup with a 40-35-3 record and a 20-16-3 mark at home. Their recent form has been mixed, going 2-3 over their last five games. New Jersey most recently suffered a 5-1 loss at home to Philadelphia, but before that they picked up a 3-0 win at Montreal. Earlier in the stretch, they dropped a 4-3 shootout game to Montreal, defeated Washington 7-3, and lost 4-1 at the Rangers. This inconsistency has made it difficult for the Devils to build momentum.
From a statistical standpoint, New Jersey is averaging 2.76 goals per game while allowing 3.05 goals against. They generate 29.8 shots per game and allow 27.3 shots, indicating they can create opportunities but have not always converted them into goals. On special teams, the Devils have scored 44 power-play goals and are converting at 22.1%, while their penalty kill stands at 79.2%, allowing 42 power-play goals. They have also scored 5 shorthanded goals.
One noticeable weakness for New Jersey is their lower scoring output compared to Pittsburgh. Averaging just 2.76 goals per game puts pressure on their defense to limit mistakes, and when facing a team that is scoring at a higher rate, that gap becomes more difficult to overcome.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs New Jersey Devils Picks and Prediction
Pittsburgh Penguins vs New Jersey Devils Pick
Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins Moneyline (-108)
Pittsburgh enters this game with stronger recent form and a more consistent offensive profile. Winning four of their last five games and scoring at a higher rate than New Jersey gives them a clear edge. The Penguins also bring a solid road record and a highly effective power play into this matchup. While the Devils have shown flashes, their inconsistency and lower scoring average make it difficult to trust them in this spot. Based on the provided data, Pittsburgh holds the advantage.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs New Jersey Devils Total Pick
Pick: Over 6.5
I’m going with the over in this matchup because Pittsburgh has been involved in several high-scoring games recently, including wins of 9-4 and 5-2. With the Penguins averaging 3.55 goals per game and New Jersey allowing just over three, there is a strong case for offensive production. Even though the Devils score less overall, they still generate a high number of shots, which can lead to opportunities. That combination points toward this game reaching or exceeding the total.
Final Score Prediction: Penguins 4 – Devils 3This prediction was written before the completion of game play on Wednesday.
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