Colorado Avalanche vs. New Jersey Devils: Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 10/28/2022

Time: 7 p.m. ET

Venue: Prudential Center, Newark, NJ

Where to watch: MSGSN, ALT2

DraftKings: Avalanche -135, Devils +115

FanDuel: Avalanche -140, Devils +116

BetMGM: Avalanche -143, Devils +120

Caesars: Avalanche -140, Devils +118

Avalanche: 4-2-1 (9 points)

Devils: 4-3-0 (8 points)

Avalanche: won 3-2 (SO) at Rangers on Tuesday

Devils: won 6-2 at Red Wings on Tuesday

May we all be as blessed as we can be if the New Jersey Devils have finally found their true potential in life. Perhaps it’s taken an extraneous start to the season for them to finally get going, or maybe Lindy Ruff realized coaching these guys actually depends on his future. Nevertheless, the Devils have won four of five entering Friday’s matchup with the Colorado Avalanche and things haven’t been this ecstatic for a Colorado-New Jersey matchup since the early 2000s when they were playing for the Stanley Cup.

The Devils are coming off a 6-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 25 on a night where offense and goaltending reigned supreme. Jesper Bratt had two goals and an assist, and Jack Hughes also had a goal and an apple to pace the New Jersey offense. Vitek Vanecek made 20 saves to give Mackenzie Blackwood a well-deserved night off. Not a bad way to respond after losing 6-3 to the Washington Capitals the night before.

"We weren't happy at all with the way we played last night, but we really bounced back well tonight," Bratt said. "I felt like we had good intensity and everyone played a good overall game."

This Devils team should be a threat every night to win, and it wouldn’t make sense that it’s not. You look at everyone from up top to the blue line, this is a deep team. Ryan Graves and Dougie Hamilton are potting two helpers a night from the defensemen side, and if Blackwood is truly ready to take a corner, they can make some noise. But again, this is a Ruff-coached team we’re talking about. If you watched the Dallas Stars teams he coached in the 2010s, you know this has the makings of being a frustrating run at some point.

But a win against the defending Stanley Cup champions would actually help a great deal with this thought process. The Avs are coming off an impressive win of their own, a 3-2 shootout victory over the New York Rangers in which Alexandar Georgiev got his revenge over his former team and beat Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin.

Valeri Nichushkin scored his seventh goal of the season, so feel free to give him the Rocket Richard now, and Logan O’Connor scored a shorthanded goal 59 seconds into the third period to give Colorado a lead. Georgiev, though, was incredible in making 44 saves against the team that essentially cast him aside once upon a time.

“I'm really happy for him," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said of Georgiev. ”Every game is a big game. But when you're coming in against your former team and playing against your former teammates, I think it's a little added incentive and motivation."

This is so early in the season that it might not matter initially, but this can be seen as a measuring stick game for the Devils. We’re talking about a team that wants to prove that it belongs in these types of conversations. At the very least, we’re going to see a fun goaltending battle between Blackwood and Georgiev, a battle between two netminders that have something to prove. Blackwood could prove a lot of people wrong with a win over the champs. And I get it, this isn’t a full-strength Colorado team and they’re not even at their best. But this is still a group that beat Vegas not too long ago. They’re good, they’ve got some good wins, and any time you beat the champs can be a statement. I think New Jersey gets it done on this Friday night. Devils win 4-3

Avalanche are 22-15 after playing a non-conference game the last three years.

Avalanche are 28-6 off two straight unders the last three years.

Avalanche are 47-23 after winning two of three the last three years.

Devils are 2-10 on Friday games the last three years.

Devils are 14-20 in non-conference games the last three years.

Avalanche:

Artturi Lehkonen -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Mikko Rantanen

Valeri Nichushkin -- Alex Newhook -- Evan Rodrigues

Andrew Cogliano - J.T. Compher -- Logan O'Connor

Dryden Hunt -- Mikhail Maltsev -- Martin Kaut

Devon Toews -- Cale Makar

Bowen Byram -- Josh Manson

Samuel Girard -- Erik Johnson

Alexandar Georgiev

Devils:

Ondrej Palat -- Nico Hischier -- Jesper Bratt

Yegor Sharangovich -- Jack Hughes -- Dawson Mercer

Miles Wood -- Erik Haula -- Tomas Tatar

Nathan Bastian -- Michael McLeod

Jonas Siegenthaler -- Dougie Hamilton

Ryan Graves -- John Marino

Brendan Smith -- Damon Severson

Kevin Bahl

Mackenzie Blackwood

Points: Valeri Nichushkin -- 12

Goals: Valeri Nichushkin -- 7

Assists: Nathan MacKinnon -- 7

Goalie: Alexandar Georgiev -- 4-0-1, 2.56 GAA, .921 SV%

Points: Jesper Bratt -- 12

Goals: Jesper Bratt -- 3

Assists: Jesper Bratt -- 9

Goalie: Mackenzie Blackwood -- 3-2-0, 2.81 GAA, .871 SV%