Devils Get Brodeur and Swagger Back

New York Islanders @ New Jersey Devils – Monday April 1, 2013 7:00PM EST

The online betting experts knew that legendary goaltender Martin Brodeur would help the New Jersey Devils win with his return to the lineup, but no one expected the goalie to score a goal in his return. The Devils obviously struggled without Brodeur in goal and looked obviously relieved that he was back in the nets. Now that the Devils have their goalie back, the team can focus on the task of making the playoffs and building momentum heading into the postseason. New Jersey is not going to catch Pittsburgh in the Atlantic Division standings, but all the Devils really want to do is make the playoffs.

The New York Islanders are surprising the sportsbook experts by making a legitimate run at the playoffs. The Islanders still play a very disorganized brand of hockey, but the addition of goaltender Evgeni Nabokov seems to have boosted the team’s confidence and hope for the future. There are still a lot of pieces missing on the Islanders team, such as a defense, but Nabokov keeps the team competitive and gives the fans hope that a playoff run could be in the near future.

Why the Devils Will Win

It just seems like the New Jersey Devils know how to win hockey games when Martin Brodeur is in net. When Brodeur is not in the lineup, then the team struggles. The betting sites wonder just how the team will react when Brodeur does finally retire someday. For now, the Devils have their goalie and the team is looking to solidify its place in the Eastern Conference playoff race. As New Jersey showed last season, once the team makes the playoffs, anything can happen.

Why the Islanders Will Win

The Islanders are so unpredictable that the team is becoming a lot of fun to watch. It is a very young team with a veteran anchor in goal. Scorers such as John Tavares are finally coming into their own and putting goals up on the board right when the Islanders need them. The New York defense still leaves Nabokov alone against an opposing rush way too often, but the team is finding ways to win games. New York will have to temper its own youth and impatience if it wants to be able to stand a chance against a veteran team like the New Jersey Devils.

The Bottom Line

This will be a fun game to watch as the veteran New Jersey team tries to school the young Islanders. The Devils may need Brodeur in this game as the Islanders have a habit of getting a lot of shots on goal in the course of a game. This could wind up being a close game, but the Devils will come away with the win to add to its growing collection which fuels the team’s growing momentum.