The Anaheim Ducks take on the New Jersey Devils on 19th October at the Prudential Centre Newark. With the hosts and guests having a rough start to the season, it would be interesting to see how the two teams, with their young and talented line-up, fare at the game.
The last time the two teams came face-to-face was in early spring, and the Devils claimed the game at their home ground in overtime at 2-1. This time, the Ducks are coming from their loss to the Islanders at 7:1 during their east coast trip, while the Devils have also started the season at 0:2.
Both teams will be counting on their strong middle to claim the most points, and we will have to see how they try to surprise each other. Let’s look at what the game looks like for both teams and what we can expect from Wednesday’s battle.
New Jersey Devils vs Anaheim Ducks Prediction
The Ducks displayed a promising start, scoring five goals on the opening night. However, it has been downhill since, and the team seems to be struggling. From the offence line-up, only Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras have shone with four goals and two assists. However, the rest are yet to prove their mettle.
If someone from the defence, like John Klingberg, steps up as he did with his previous two assists, the game could take a surprising turn. With the exception of John Klingberg and Cam Fowler, the rest of the defence has also struggled.
As for the Devils, their high hopes at the beginning of the season were quashed by back-to-back losses. The offence has been able to score four times so far only. Although the new addition Ondrej Palat and Jack Hughes have yet to point a score, if they manage to do so, the Devils have a pretty good chance.
Like the Ducks, the Devils’ defence has also struggled, giving their opponents plenty of opportunities to score, which they availed as well. It will be interesting to see how the new promising potential goal tender Vitek Vanecek fares in the game. The offseason entrant has allowed five goals out of the 22 shots sent his way.
While both sides seem to struggle, the Ducks have shown potential. However, the Devils may have the advantage of the home ice and claim their first win of the season. They may be able to step up the defence to limit the top-heavy offence from the Ducks’ side while the offence finds spaces to find the back of the net, as the forwards overwhelm the opponents’ defence.