New Jersey Devils vs. Vancouver Canucks Pick & Prediction OCTOBER 30th 2024

Stadium: Rogers Arena Vancouver
Logo New Jersey Devils
VS
Logo Vancouver Canucks
6.5
OPENER
-1.5
6.5o -113
CURRENT
-1.5 +205
+102
MONEYLINE
-122
6
SCORE
0

Preview and Prediction

The New Jersey Devils kick off a three-game road trip through western Canada on Wednesday night as they take on the Vancouver Canucks.

The Devils, who held a one-point lead in the Metropolitan Division as of Tuesday, will also play in Calgary on Friday before wrapping up the trip in Edmonton on Monday.

Before embarking on their lengthy journey, New Jersey gained some much-needed momentum by defeating the Anaheim Ducks 6-2 on Sunday in Newark, NJ. This victory ended a four-game losing streak (0-2-2).

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Stefan Noesen scored twice in the second period, leading the way for a four-goal surge. Jack Hughes, Paul Cotter, Nico Hischier, and Erik Haula also contributed goals, while Jacob Markstrom made 24 saves. Hischier's goal was his ninth of the season, the most in the league.

"It was an important win," said coach Sheldon Keefe about breaking the losing streak before the trip. "We haven't been satisfied with our results, especially in this building. As we head out on a tough road trip, we wanted to make sure we left with some points and a good feeling."

Dawson Mercer, who had two assists in the game, added, "It always feels great to win, whether it's at home or on the road. Getting two points here as a team before starting our trip is definitely a good feeling for us."

The first game of the trip is also highly anticipated by star forward Jack Hughes and young defenseman Luke Hughes, as they will face off against their older brother Quinn, a standout defenseman for the Canucks. This will be the latest installment of the "Hughes Bowl," with New Jersey holding a 6-1-0 record in the seven previous matchups between the brothers. Luke, a rookie last season, has a 1-1-0 record against the Canucks.

"I'm really excited to play against their really good team," said Jack Hughes to NHL.com. "This year, it's not just about the three of us...like the Hughes Bowl. We can go there, enjoy our time, and spend some of it with Quinn and our parents."

Vancouver is coming off a 4-3 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday. Quinn Hughes, the 2024 Norris Trophy winner, scored his second goal of the season in the third period to help the Canucks come back from a 3-1 deficit and force overtime. However, Sebastian Aho scored the game-winner for Carolina just 47 seconds into the extra period.

"I think we played great in the last 10 minutes, but before that...I don't think we were ready to play," said Canucks coach Rick Tocchet. "Carolina was. We had a lot of guys early on not moving their feet, not winning battles. Then we decided to do those things and we made a game of it. So we can take the positive of getting a point, but it's also a lesson to be learned."

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The Devils will be without Curtis Lazar, who suffered a lower-body injury after being checked by Anaheim's Radko Gudas on Sunday. Justin Dowling was called up from AHL Utica on Tuesday to take Lazar's spot.

PREDICTION
New Jersey Devils
3
4
Vancouver Canucks

New Jersey Devils vs. Vancouver Canucks Recap OCT 30TH 2024

Nico Hischier scored his league-leading 10th goal and had two assists, and Jacob Markstrom posted his 21st career shutout as the visiting New Jersey Devils cruised to a 6-0 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night.

It was the 18th three-point game of Hischier's career. Dawson Mercer had a short-handed goal and an assist, Jack Hughes added a goal and an assist, and Timo Meier, Ondrej Palat and Tomas Tatar also scored goals for New Jersey, which improved its Metropolitan Division lead to three points over the New York Rangers.

Markstrom stopped 20 shots in the Devils' second straight win. Arturs Silovs finished with 16 saves for Vancouver, which lost its second game in a row.

New Jersey needed just 53 seconds to take a 1-0 lead as Hischier took a cross-ice pass from Mercer on a 2-on-1 break. Hischier then fired a wrist shot from the left circle into the top near corner for his seventh goal in the last six games.

The Devils, who allowed just one shot on goal while killing off a four-minute double minor by Jesper Bratt for high-sticking Quinn Hughes, increased the lead to 2-0 at the 1:35 mark of the second period on Mercer's third career short-handed goal, roofing a rebound of a Hischier shot under the crossbar for his third goal.

Meier made it 3-0 less than two minutes later with his fifth goal, snapping a wrist shot from the left circle through the legs of Vancouver defenseman Tyler Myers into the top far corner.

Palat extended the lead to 4-0 near the end of the period when he muscled in a rebound inside the left post. The score was initially missed by officials, and the play continued for about 20 seconds before the Situation Room in Toronto awarded the goal following a replay review.

Hughes made it 5-0 midway through the third period with a power-play goal, tapping in a Stefan Noesen pass five-hole. Tatar ended the scoring with 5:54 remaining when he buried a rebound inside the right post for his second goal.