Detroit Red Wings @ New Jersey Devils - April 16, 2025

Alright, folks, gather ’round. We’ve got a matchup brewing between the Detroit Red Wings and the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center this Wednesday, and let me tell you, I’ve seen my fair share of these clashes. Both teams are hungry for a win, but if you ask me, the Red Wings have a solid shot at pulling off an upset here.

Let’s break it down. The oddsmakers have set the Devils as -154 favorites against the Red Wings, with a total of 5.5 goals on the board. Now, I’m no stranger to betting lines; sometimes they can be deceiving. The last time out, both teams had high-scoring affairs—Detroit edged out Dallas 6-4 while New Jersey took down Boston 5-4. Those results were fireworks for OVER bettors! But tonight? I think we might see something different.

Looking at their offensive stats, both teams are close in terms of scoring—Detroit averages about 2.8 goals per game compared to New Jersey’s 2.9—but what stands out is their shooting percentages and power play effectiveness. Detroit boasts a slightly better shooting percentage (10.9%) compared to New Jersey’s (10.7%). And on special teams? Both squads are fairly competent with power plays around the 27% mark; however, Detroit seems to convert just a bit more frequently.

Now let’s talk defense because that’s where things get interesting. The Devils have an impressive save percentage at nearly 90%, which has kept them in games despite some recent struggles on home ice—they’re just 2-6 SU in their last eight games at home! Meanwhile, Detroit’s defensive numbers aren’t as pretty; they sit with an 89% save rate and a penalty kill percentage that’s alarmingly low at around 69%. If there was ever a recipe for disaster defensively, that would be it!

But here’s where I see value: Detroit has been on a mini-roll lately—4-2 SU in their last six—and although they struggle on the road historically (just two wins in their last twelve), they’ve shown flashes of life that suggest they can keep this one competitive or even steal it outright.

I’m predicting that tonight will end with Detroit pulling off an upset victory over New Jersey while covering the spread—a classic underdog story if you will! As for totals? I’m leaning towards UNDER based on how both defenses could tighten up given what’s at stake.

So grab your lucky charm and maybe do your little pre-game ritual because this one could go either way! But trust me when I say: watch out for those Red Wings tonight—they might just surprise us all!