Venue & Event Details
Location: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
Puckdrop: 12:30 p.m. ET
Broadcast: SportsNet Pittsburgh, MSGSN, NHL.tv
Injury Report
Pittsburgh Penguins:
Rickard Rakell (hand surgery, out 6–8 weeks)
Filip Hallander (leg, out minimum 3 months)
Tristan Jarry (lower body, out)
Caleb Jones, Rutger McGroarty, Noel Acciari (upper body injuries, out)
Kevin Hayes (upper body) — could make season debut
New Jersey Devils:
Dougie Hamilton (lower body, not expected to play)
Brett Pesce (hand, out)
Evgenii Dadonov (fractured hand, out)
Connor Brown, Zack MacEwen (upper body, out)
Key Player Matchups
Sidney Crosby (PIT) vs. Jack Hughes (NJD): Crosby has 9 goals and 5 assists in his last 10 games, while Hughes leads the Devils with 10 goals and 8 assists.
Evgeni Malkin (PIT) vs. Nico Hischier (NJD): Veteran playmaker vs. two-way captain.
Erik Karlsson (PIT) vs. Luke Hughes (NJD): Offensive defensemen who drive transition play.
Goaltending: Penguins may start Sergei Murashov (potential NHL debut), while Devils rely on Jacob Markstrom or Jake Allen.
Team Recent Form
Pittsburgh Penguins: Fourth in the East with 20 points. Recently beat Washington 5–3 but had a point streak snapped against Winnipeg.
New Jersey Devils: Second in the East with 20 points. Undefeated at home (6–0–0), coming off a 4–3 OT win vs. Montreal.
Series History
First meeting of the 2025–26 season.
Penguins have historically dominated, but Devils have closed the gap in recent years.
Last season: Devils won 2 of 3 matchups.
Betting Trends:
Devils are 6–0 at home this season.
Penguins are 4–2 on the road.
Over has hit in 7 of Devils’ 10 wins, fueled by Hughes and Mercer’s scoring.
Penguins games lean Over as well, with Crosby and Rust driving offense.
Key Takeaway
This is a clash of Metropolitan Division contenders: the Devils’ perfect home record and Hughes’ scoring surge against the Penguins’ veteran core led by Crosby and Malkin. Expect a fast-paced, high-scoring game with New Jersey favored to extend their home dominance, though Pittsburgh’s experience makes them a dangerous underdog.
Game Odds
Pittsburgh Penguins 5.5
New Jersey Devils – 180
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, November 7, 2025
