by Chuck Sommers
Friday, Mar 31, 2023
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Venue: United Center, Chicago, IL
Where to watch: ESPN2
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Check back later for odds
BetMGM: Check back later for odds
Caesars: Check back later for odds
Season record
Devils: 47-20-8
Blackhawks: 24-45-6
The All-Star break is over in the NBA and it's time to get on the horse and finish up the final home stretch of the season. Big trades, uncertainty, and absolute hilarity across the board all gearing up for the final home stretch of this season. You know who is also gearing up for the home stretch? Our champion handicappers at bigal.com who are ready to win their way all the way to the playoffs. There's a lot going on that we can't wait for in these final 23-25 games and you're going to need every bit of hardcore analysis you can get from this group. Just in the last 30 days we've had some big winners. Doc's Sports has posted a 16-6-0 record in the last month (+$9,200). AAA Sports has killed it at 17-8-0, and then Al McMordie with a dominant 20-11-1 mark over the last 30 days. Everything you need to know and more about what's going on this league and sports in general will be a fun finish to the end. All you have to do is go to bigal.com and find our Best Bets page and put forth something that only you think is good. Here's a hint: Go to the bigal.com website and happy betting.
Devils - Blackhawks preview, prediction and analysis
On April 1, 2023, the New Jersey Devils will face off against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center in Chicago. Both teams have had challenging seasons so far, with the Devils getting ready for the playoffs while the Blackhawks are just trying to tank for Connor Bedard as we all are.
The New Jersey Devils have been led by their young forward, Jack Hughes, who is having an MVP-caliber season. Hughes has been a bright spot for the Devils this season and has shown why he was the first overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. In addition to Hughes, the Devils have a few other players who have had solid seasons, including Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer.
The Chicago Blackhawks, on the other hand, have had a bit more success on the offensive end, averaging 2.9 goals per game. They have been led by their star forwards, Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat, who have combined for 60 goals and 89 assists this season. Kane, in particular, has had another outstanding season and is in contention for the Hart Trophy, given to the league's most valuable player. In addition to Kane and DeBrincat, the Blackhawks have some other players who have had solid seasons, including Kirby Dach and Dylan Strome. This of course was written in an alternate universe. You know how bad the Blackhawks are and know that these guys are no longer in Chicago.
Another factor to consider is the goaltending matchup. The Devils' netminder, Mackenzie Blackwood, has had a solid season with a .911 save percentage and a 2.89 goals against average. However, he will be facing a tough challenge in the
In addition, the special teams play of both teams will be important in this game. The Devils have struggled on the power play this season, converting on just 16.8% of their opportunities, while the Blackhawks have been more successful, converting on 20.7% of their opportunities. On the penalty kill, both teams have been middle of the pack, with the Devils killing off 80.4% of their penalties and the Blackhawks killing off 80.7% of their penalties.
Overall, the upcoming matchup between the New Jersey Devils and the Chicago Blackhawks may not have significant playoff implications, but it could be an exciting game for fans of both teams.
Prediction
Can we just get the Blackhawks off TV? Like for the rest of the season? Can we just relegate them and not give them Connor Bedard? Seriously. Devils 6, Blackhawks 0
Projected lines
Devils:
Timo Meier -- Nico Hischier -- Dawson Mercer
Ondrej Palat -- Jack Hughes -- Jesper Bratt
Tomas Tatar -- Erik Haula -- Jesper Boqvist
Miles Wood -- Michael McLeod -- Yegor Sharangovich
Jonas Siegenthaler -- Dougie Hamilton
Ryan Graves -- John Marino
Kevin Bahl -- Damon Severson
Vitek Vanecek
Timo Meier -- Nico Hischier -- Dawson Mercer
Ondrej Palat -- Jack Hughes -- Jesper Bratt
Tomas Tatar -- Erik Haula -- Jesper Boqvist
Miles Wood -- Michael McLeod -- Yegor Sharangovich
Jonas Siegenthaler -- Dougie Hamilton
Ryan Graves -- John Marino
Kevin Bahl -- Damon Severson
Vitek Vanecek
Blackhawks:
Lukas Reichel -- Reese Johnson -- Andreas Athanasiou
Tyler Johnson -- Jason Dickinson -- Taylor Raddysh
Boris Katchouk -- Jujhar Khaira -- Joey Anderson
Mike Hardman -- MacKenzie Entwistle - Anders Bjork
Caleb Jones -- Seth Jones
Alex Vlasic -- Connor Murphy
Wyatt Kaiser -- Nikita Zaitsev
Alex Stalock
Lukas Reichel -- Reese Johnson -- Andreas Athanasiou
Tyler Johnson -- Jason Dickinson -- Taylor Raddysh
Boris Katchouk -- Jujhar Khaira -- Joey Anderson
Mike Hardman -- MacKenzie Entwistle - Anders Bjork
Caleb Jones -- Seth Jones
Alex Vlasic -- Connor Murphy
Wyatt Kaiser -- Nikita Zaitsev
Alex Stalock
Don't miss our champion handicappers' free picks and expert hockey picks today. And if you enjoyed this preview, be sure to drop by every day for our daily NHL projections and previews.
Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
