Devils vs Ducks tips: Home ice advantage key at Prudential Center

Punters get ready for a Friday morning ice hockey showdown as the New Jersey Devils roll out the red carpet at Prudential Center for the Anaheim Ducks on Fri, 23 Oct, 10:00 am AEDT. Both squads line up with identical 4-4-0 season records, but their recent trajectory on the ice paints two completely different pictures. The Devils arrive in high spirits, while Anaheim is looking to break out of a slump after dropping consecutive road fixtures across New York.

New Jersey returns to home ice coming off a thrilling 4–3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche, making it three wins from their last four outings. Meanwhile, the Ducks are desperate to spark a turn in fortunes following a hard-fought 2–3 defeat to the New York Islanders last time out. With both clubs locked on eight ladder points, this early-season contest looms as a prime opportunity for one side to build real momentum.

Who Will Win? Devils Seek Home Dominance Against Struggling Ducks

Looking at the ladder standings, New Jersey holds 23rd spot while Anaheim sits right on their heels in 24th position. Despite sharing identical 4-4-0 records across eight games, the offensive outputs over recent starts present a clear divide. The Devils have been firing on all cylinders in attack, averaging 3.8 goals per game over their last five overall fixtures and racking up an impressive 4.0 goals per game across their last three starts at Prudential Center. Their underlying possession metrics back it up too, boasting a dominant 63% Corsi share along with a 20.69% power play percentage.

Key contributors Jack Hughes (2G, 7A) and Jesper Bratt (2G, 5A) continue to set up scoring plays, while Nico Hischier leads the goal tally with four majors. New Jersey’s recent sequence includes high-scoring wins over the Rangers (7–1) and Red Wings (5–4) prior to their 4–3 triumph against Colorado. If you are searching for smart nhl picks, the Devils’ home scoring potency makes for a compelling case against an Anaheim defensive unit that has conceded 3.6 goals per game over their past five overall outings.

Anaheim’s main strength lies in their special teams, operating a dangerous power play unit at 24.14% and a solid 79.31% penalty kill rate. Young gun Beckett Sennecke leads their goalscoring with 5 goals and 3 assists, well complemented by playmaker Leo Carlsson (2G, 7A) and veteran Mikael Granlund (2G, 6A). However, four straight losses — including defeats to Boston (2–4), the Rangers (2–5), and the Islanders (2–3) — have put real pressure on their defense. With limited recent head-to-head history on hand, current market prices place New Jersey as home favourites at 1.65, while Anaheim can be backed at 2.25 on the match winner board. Given New Jersey’s superior shot generation and strong home scoring form, the Devils look well placed to keep their momentum rolling.