The New Jersey Devils travel to face the Boston Bruins in a classic Atlantic Division showdown at TD Garden, where old rivalries reignite amid both teams’ push for playoff positioning. New Jersey (16-12-1) rides a three-game win streak into Beantown, showcasing improved goaltending and depth scoring after a midseason slump. The Bruins (17-13-0), meanwhile, seek to halt a two-game skid that has exposed defensive frailties without key blueliners. This matchup pits Jack Hughes’ dynamic creativity against Charlie McAvoy’s shutdown prowess, with playoff implications looming—Boston holds a slim edge in the wild-card race. Expect a gritty, low-event affair, as these clubs have combined for Under in 70% of their last 10 meetings.
Venue and Game Details
Location: TD Garden, Boston, MA (100 Legends Way, Boston, MA 02114). The Bruins’ storied home seats 17,850 for hockey and pulses with Original Six intensity, though Boston’s recent home form (9-6-0) has been uneven.
Puckdrop: 7:00 p.m. ET.
Broadcast: NHL Network (national), MSG+ (New Jersey), NESN (Boston), Sportsnet (Canada). Doors open at 5:30 p.m. ET.
Tickets: Available via Ticketmaster or secondary markets like StubHub, starting around $120 (including fees).
Team Records and Standings
New Jersey sits fourth in the Metropolitan Division with a +12 goal differential, bolstered by top-10 rankings in power play (22.1%) and penalty kill (84.3%). Boston leads the Atlantic’s third slot but ranks 22nd in goals against (3.02/GP), relying on elite even-strength play (2.88 xGF/60).
| Team | Record (W-L-OTL) | Points | GF/GP | GA/GP | Home | Away | Streak |
| New Jersey Devils | 16-12-1 | 33 | 3.15 | 2.78 | 8-6-1 | 8-6-0 | W3 |
| Boston Bruins | 17-13-0 | 34 | 2.96 | 3.02 | 9-6-0 | 8-7-0 | L2 |
The Devils lead the league in shots per game (32.8), while the Bruins rank first in hits (24.1/GP) but 26th in save percentage (.890).
Recent Team Forms
New Jersey has surged with 8 goals in their last three wins, including a 4-2 road takedown of Columbus on Thursday. Their metrics (53.4% Corsi) scream contender status, though they’ve allowed 3+ goals in four of their last seven. Goaltending stabilization from Jake Allen has been key.
Boston’s skid includes a 3-2 OT loss to Florida and a 4-1 home defeat to Toronto, averaging just 2.0 goals/game during the slide. The Bruins are 7-3-0 in their prior 10, but special teams woes (78.2% PK) have resurfaced. David Pastrnak’s 28 points keep them afloat.
| Devils Last 5 Games | Result | Score | Key Notes |
| Dec 4 @ CBJ | W | 4-2 | Hughes 2A; Allen 26 saves in road win. |
| Dec 1 vs NYR | W | 3-1 | Bratt GWG; power play 2/3, low shots (28). |
| Nov 28 @ PHI | W | 5-4 (OT) | Mercer hat trick; high-danger thriller. |
| Nov 26 vs MTL | L | 2-3 | Defensive breakdown; 0/4 PP. |
| Nov 23 @ DET | L | 1-4 | Allen pulled; offense stifled (19 SOG). |
| Bruins Last 5 Games | Result | Score | Key Notes |
| Dec 4 vs FLA | L (OT) | 2-3 | Pastrnak G; Swayman .922 SV%, OT lapse. |
| Dec 2 vs TOR | L | 1-4 | Zacha G; home embarrassment, 12 penalties. |
| Nov 29 @ WSH | W | 3-2 | Marchand 2G; resilient road bounce-back. |
| Nov 27 vs PIT | W | 4-1 | Geekie 2A; shut down second period. |
| Nov 24 @ TBL | W | 5-2 | Pastrnak hat trick; offensive clinic. |
Injury Report
Both rosters are battered, with Boston’s defense hit hardest—missing two top-four guys—while New Jersey’s forward group is thinned but manageable.
| Team | Player | Position | Status | Est. Return | Notes |
| NJD | Dougie Hamilton | D | IR (Out) | Dec 20 | Pectoral; 12 pts in 15GP, massive puck-mover. |
| NJD | Ondrej Palat | LW | Out | Dec 10 | Lower body; 5 pts in 20GP, penalty-kill specialist. |
| NJD | Tomas Tatar | LW | Day-to-Day | Dec 6? | Upper body; practiced, 8 pts in 25GP. |
| BOS | Hampus Lindahl | D | IR (Out) | Jan 5 | Concussion; depth D, 3 pts in 18GP. |
| BOS | Brandon Carlo | D | IR (Out) | Dec 13 | Upper body; 4 pts in 22GP, physical anchor. |
| BOS | Justin Brazeau | RW | Out | TBD | Shoulder; call-up contributor, 2G in 10GP. |
| BOS | Joonas Korpisalo | G | Available | Dec 6 | Backup returns; Swayman starts (14-9-0, .905 SV%). |
Jake Allen (.912 SV%, 2.78 GAA) eyes his fourth straight start for New Jersey; Jeremy Swayman for Boston.
Key Player Matchups
This game’s tempo will be dictated by transition play, with New Jersey’s speed testing Boston’s forecheck. Hughes vs. McAvoy headlines a star-studded slate.
Jack Hughes (NJD, 14G-22A) vs. Charlie McAvoy (BOS): Hughes’ wizardry (1.45 Pts/GP) challenges McAvoy’s gap control (3.8 defensive shares). Hughes has 9 pts in last 7; McAvoy must limit rush chances (NJD 12.1/GP).
Nico Hischier (NJD, 12G-15A) vs. Patrice Bergeron (BOS, veteran pivot): Hischier’s faceoff dominance (55.2%) meets Bergeron’s two-way mastery. Hischier 6 pts in streak; Bergeron (18 pts) anchors PK (BOS 78.2%).
David Pastrnak (BOS, 15G-13A) vs. Luke Hughes (NJD): Pastrnak’s lethal shot (32 SOG in 30GP) tests Hughes’ poise (rookie D, 10 pts). Pastrnak 5G in last 5; Hughes has struggled vs. right shots (48% Corsi).
Jake Allen (NJD) vs. Brad Marchand (BOS, 11G-14A): Allen’s positioning (.912 SV%) vs. Marchand’s agitator style (2.2 PIM/GP). Marchand has 4 pts in skid; Allen blanked NYR last out.
Jesper Bratt (NJD, 10G-18A) vs. Charlie Coyle (BOS): Bratt’s playmaking (team-high 28 pts) exploits Coyle’s third-line role. Bratt 7 pts in 8 vs. BOS; Coyle wins 52% draws.
Keep an eye on Dawson Mercer (NJD, multi-tool forward) in bottom-six matchups.
Series History
These Original Six hopefuls have clashed 285 times (regular season), with Boston owning a commanding 152-109-24 edge (57.5% win rate). The Bruins have won 6 of the last 8, including a 3-2 home victory on November 15 (Pastrnak GWG). New Jersey is 3-7 in their last 10 at TD Garden, often undone by Boston’s physicality (out-hit 28-19 avg.). Playoff lore favors the B’s (1988 Wales Conference Final win), but the Devils stole a 4-3 OT thriller in the 2023 playoffs.
| Last 5 Meetings | Date | Result (BOS Home unless noted) | Score | Key Stat |
| Nov 15, 2025 | BOS Home | W (BOS) | 3-2 | Swayman 29 saves; low-scoring duel. |
| Oct 22, 2025 | @ NJD | W (BOS) | 4-3 (SO) | Pastrnak decider; 7 rounds. |
| Apr 5, 2025 | BOS Home | L (NJD) | 2-3 | Hughes 2G; Devils snap skid. |
| Mar 18, 2025 | @ NJD | W (BOS) | 5-1 | Marchand hat trick; offensive rout. |
| Jan 12, 2025 | BOS Home | W (BOS) | 2-1 (OT) | McAvoy GWG; Under hits again. |
Boston wins 65% when outshooting opponents (NJD avg: 32.8 SOG).
Betting Trends
Moneyline Trends: Bruins 9-6 as home favorites; Devils 8-6 as road dogs. 55% bets on NJD ML.
Puck Line: BOS -1.5 (+160) covers in 50% of home wins; NJD +1.5 (-190) hits 75% as underdogs.
Total Trends: Under 5.5 in 8 of last 10 H2H; Over in 6 of BOS’s last 9 homes. League avg: 6.0 goals/game.
Game Odds
New Jersey Devils – 125
Boston Bruins 5.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, December 5, 2025
