New Jersey Riding Stronger Form Into Rivalry Clash
— New York Rangers vs New Jersey Devils Pick on March 7, 2026
The New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils meet Saturday afternoon in Newark with both teams trying to squeeze something useful out of the final stretch, but the cleaner betting angle sits with the home side. New Jersey comes in on a three game winning streak and just controlled play in a 4 to 3 shootout win over Toronto, finishing with a 47 to 27 shot advantage. New York is trying to build off a 6 to 2 victory over the Maple Leafs that ended a long drought for a home regulation win.
This NHL pick comes down to which recent signal matters more. The Rangers finally got a good result Thursday, but the Devils have been steadier over the last week, they are healthier in the key parts of the lineup, and they have gotten solid work from Jacob Markstrom in meaningful spots. In a rivalry game, that does not guarantee much, though New Jersey still looks like the side with the better path over 60 minutes.
Our Rangers vs Devils Pick
📌 Pick: New Jersey Devils Moneyline -139
📈 Confidence: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ 3 out of 5
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: New York Rangers vs New Jersey Devils
- Date & Time: March 7, 3:00 PM ET
- Venue: Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
- Broadcast: ABC
| Moneyline | Puckline | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Rangers +117 | Devils -139 | Rangers +1.5 -210 | Devils -1.5 +170 | Over 5.5 -118 | Under 5.5 -102 |
Key Storylines
Recent form
New Jersey brings the better short-term run into this game. The Devils have won 3 straight, starting with a 3 to 1 road win in St. Louis, then a 5 to 1 home win over Florida, and then the 4 to 3 shootout win against Toronto. That win over the Leafs was especially encouraging because New Jersey drove play for most of the night and finished with a 47 to 27 edge in shots. The Devils have looked more alive offensively over this stretch, and they have found late goals when they needed them.
New York does have a fresh result worth respecting. The Rangers beat Toronto 6 to 2 on Thursday and got a badly needed lift at the right time. Still, the larger sample is rougher. Before that, they lost to Columbus in overtime, beat Pittsburgh in a shootout, and lost in overtime to Philadelphia. The Rangers have been living on thin margins, and one strong offensive night does not erase a season that has been far less stable than expected.
Goaltending
Igor Shesterkin gives New York a real chance any time he starts, and his season line remains the strongest goaltending number in this matchup. He enters with 19 wins, a 2.50 goals against average, and a .912 save percentage. He also stopped 29 shots in the win over Toronto. If this game turns into a shot-volume test, he is still the biggest reason the Rangers can steal it.
Jacob Markstrom has not matched Shesterkin’s efficiency over the full season, though his recent work has been good enough for New Jersey to win games. Markstrom comes in with 18 wins, a 3.05 goals against average, and a .888 save percentage. He made 24 saves against Toronto and has now backstopped a Devils team that has won 3 straight. His numbers are not flashy, but New Jersey has done a better job lately of helping him by controlling puck possession.
Injury Report
The New York Rangers are missing a few regulars heading into this matchup. Center Vincent Trocheck is listed out, while J.T. Miller and Matt Rempe remain on injured reserve and are not expected to return immediately. Those absences thin the Rangers’ depth down the middle and in the bottom six.
The New Jersey Devils are dealing with fewer issues, though their blue line is slightly affected. Defenseman Brett Pesce is listed as day to day with a lower-body injury, while forward Stefan Noesen is on injured reserve. Zack MacEwen remains on long-term injured reserve and is not expected back this season.
Betting Trends & H2H
Puckline trends point to a game that could stay tight. New York is 30 to 31 against the puckline this season, while New Jersey is 23 to 39. That tells you the Devils have had a hard time rewarding backers in favorite spots, which is one reason the moneyline looks cleaner than laying a goal and a half.
Totals trends lean under on both sides. Rangers games are 27 to 33 and 1 to the over, while Devils games are 24 to 37 and 1 to the over. Recent form adds a little push in the other direction because both clubs just played higher-scoring games against Toronto, but the broader season data still says these teams have lived in lower-scoring environments more often than not.
The split between home and road records is also worth noting. The Rangers have actually been better away from home than at Madison Square Garden, sitting at 16 to 14 and 2 on the road. The Devils are 15 to 13 and 2 at home, which is solid rather than dominant. That keeps this from being a high-confidence home fade of New York. Even so, New Jersey enters in better recent form and has looked sharper over the last week.
Rangers vs Devils Model Projection
🏒 Score Projection: New York Rangers 2 – New Jersey Devils 3
📊 Win Probability: New York Rangers 43%, New Jersey Devils 57%
Final Thoughts
Rivalry games can get messy fast, and New York has the better goaltender if Shesterkin gets the call, so this is not the kind of favorite to treat as automatic. Still, New Jersey has more going for it entering Saturday. The Devils are on a 3 game run, they just controlled play against Toronto, and they are missing less up front than a Rangers team still dealing with absences like Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller. With the Devils at home and carrying the stronger recent profile, the best bet is New Jersey on the moneyline rather than forcing a puckline play in what still feels like a one-goal type of game.
Best Bet: Devils ML -139 ✔️