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The Rundown:
The New Jersey Devils and Seattle Kraken battle tonight at Climate Pledge Arena. New Jersey and Seattle have both shocked the league with their success this season. A highly anticipated matchup between the two clubs should bring on an exciting contest.
The Matchup
The Devils and Kraken have been on incredibly similar paths this season. Both have overcome lulls in December to start 2023 strong. The Devils were 4-7-2 in December and are so far 6-1-1 in January. The Kraken were 4-7-2 in December, only to start 8-2-0 in January. Similar results. Similar teams. Devils forward Jack Hughes is one goal from his first 30-goal season in the NHL. Hughes has 14 points (nine goals, five assists) since January 1, tied with Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn (five goals, nine assists) for second behind Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon. Seattle leads the NHL with 16 points since January 1. Last season, each team took a win against one another in the two matchups they played.
Players To Watch
For the Devils, Vitek Vaněček is the player to watch. Vaněček has been the Devils’ most important player this season, besides Jack Hughes. For years, the Devils have struggled with inconsistent goaltending after Corey Schneider faded into the twilight due to his injuries. With Vaněček’s arrival in New Jersey this offseason, he has been a critical piece to New Jersey. He currently has five straight wins and owns a 2.37 GAA, .914 SV%, and a record of 18-5-2 through 29 games played.
For the Kraken, Vince Dunn is the player to watch. Dunn is on a five-game point streak and is the second leading scorer (behind Jack Hughes) since the month of January started. Dunn has been a major contributor on the backend for the Kraken, and Vince is the fourth leading scorer on the team.
Odds Presented By Betfred Sportsbook
Spread- New Jersey Devils -1.5 (+190) / Seattle Kraken +1.5 (-240)
Moneyline- New Jersey Devils -130 / Seattle Kraken +110
Total- 6.5 – Over (-105) / Under (-115)
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