The New Jersey Devils will head to Tampa for a Saturday night showdown with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning will aim to bounce back from a rough start in front of their home crowd, while New Jersey enters the game seeking its first win after a tough opener of their own. Here, I break down this Eastern Conference matchup in the NHL and you can find my Devils vs Lightning prediction below.
Our Devils vs Lightning Pick
- Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning to win
- Confidence: 3/5
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: New Jersey Devils @ Tampa Bay Lightning
- Date & Time: Saturday, October 11, 2025, 7:00 PM EDT
- Venue: Benchmark International Arena, Tampa, FL
- Broadcast: ESPN+
Devils vs Lightning Odds
| Odds Type | Line |
|---|---|
| Moneyline | Devils +125 / Lightning –145 |
| Puckline (spread) | Lightning –1.5 (+165) / Devils +1.5 (-200) |
| Total (O/U) | 6.5 goals |
Key Storylines
Recent form
The Devils opened their season with a 6–3 loss to Carolina, surrendering three late goals that spoiled a competitive effort earlier in the game. Their defense was exposed and their special teams failed to make an impact. Tampa Bay also lost its opener, falling 5–4 to Ottawa, leaving both teams 0-1 early in the season. The Lightning will hope to defend home ice and recover swiftly, while the Devils will need to shore up defensive lapses.
Goaltending
For New Jersey, Jacob Markstrom is expected to get the nod. In the opener, his save percentage was subpar, and the final score inflated his goals-against average. He will need a strong rebound performance against a potent Tampa attack. For Tampa Bay, Andrei Vasilevskiy is likely in goal. He also had a shaky debut and his save percentage was just .879.
Key skaters
- Tampa Bay: Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov, and Brandon Hagel anchor the offense. Kucherov remains a threat every time he touches the puck. Hagel adds speed and tenacity, and Point’s balance of scoring and playmaking will be needed for Tampa to win this game.
- New Jersey: Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Luke Hughes will be important to New Jersey’s success. Jack serves as the offensive fulcrum, Bratt as a consistent contributor, and defenseman Luke Hughes brings offense from the back. The Devils’ younger core members must step up if they are going to win this game.
Best Player Props
| Player | Prop Type | Projection |
|---|---|---|
| Nikita Kucherov | Points | Over 1.5 |
| Brayden Point | Assists | Over 0.5 |
| Jesper Bratt | Goals | Over 0.5 |
Betting Trends
- Both teams failed to cover the puckline in their first game of the season.
- Both teams saw their first games go over their respective totals.
- New Jersey is 0-1-0 on the road this season.
- Tampa Bay is 0-1-0 at home for the year.
Devils vs Lightning Model Projection
Score Projection: New Jersey Devils 3 – Tampa Bay Lightning 4
Win Probability: New Jersey Devils 43%, Tampa Bay Lightning 57%
Final Thoughts
I lean toward Tampa Bay to get the win in this contest. They are at home and should be able to bounce back after struggling on defense in their opener. Look for the Devils’ defense to struggle again in this contest and for Tampa to get the job done here.
