This Senators vs. Devils prediction lands on a game where the standings and the underlying numbers tell opposite stories. Ottawa arrives at Prudential Center 4-1-0 and second in the Atlantic, riding the hottest goaltending in the league. New Jersey sits 2-2-0 and 11th in the East despite outshooting opponents by a wide margin. The moneyline has already drifted from its opening number, and bettors are split across two different markets. Below we work through the matchup and get to the bets worth making.
Last Updated: October 12, 2026
Ottawa Senators vs. New Jersey Devils — Game Info
| Where | Prudential Center, Newark NJ |
| When | October 12 – 7:00 PM ET |
| TV | MSG Sportsnet, NHL Network |
Ottawa Senators vs. New Jersey Devils Betting Preview
Start in the crease, because that is where this game is priced. Linus Ullmark is projected to start for Ottawa after winning each of his first four appearances with a 1.34 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage. He returned on October 8 after leaving the October 5 win in Boston with an undisclosed issue, and he has had two days of rest since Saturday. Jake Allen is projected for New Jersey at 2-1-0 with a 2.65 goals-against average and an .896 save percentage. Neither start is confirmed yet. New Jersey also visits Detroit on Tuesday, so Nico Daws taking one half of that back-to-back is a live possibility.
The play-driving numbers argue against the standings. New Jersey controls 61% of shot attempts at five-on-five and 57% of expected goals, and the Devils average 37.75 shots on goal per game. However, they have scored only 10 goals in four games, 27th in the league, and their five-on-five scoring drought has been the story of their start. Ottawa is being out-attempted at 47% and generating just 24.8 shots a night, yet the Senators have allowed only 2.20 goals per game, third-best in the NHL. In contrast to New Jersey, Ottawa’s results are running well ahead of its process.
Special teams cut both ways. Ottawa’s power play sits at 12.5% on 3-for-24. New Jersey’s penalty kill is worse at 63.64%, but the Devils go shorthanded only 2.75 times per game while Ottawa takes 4.6 minors a night. The Senators are also patching a blue line. Jake Sanderson is day-to-day and has missed four straight games, Artem Zub is on injured reserve, and rookies have been slotted onto the third pair. New Jersey is without Nick Bjugstad and Seamus Casey, sits fifth in the Metropolitan and trails Washington by two points, and has Johnathan Kovacevic back off injured reserve.
Ottawa Senators vs. New Jersey Devils Odds
| Puck Line | Moneyline | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senators | +1.5 (-230) | +117 | O 6.0 (+100) |
| Devils | -1.5 (+190) | -138 | U 6.0 (-120) |
Odds accurate as of October 12, 2026 via TheSpread.com. Odds change, get the latest NHL Odds – Futures – Props
Ottawa Senators vs. New Jersey Devils — Who Is the Public Betting?
| Senators | 59% | 41% | Devils |
See the latest NHL Public Betting Splits and make smarter wagers!
Senators vs. Devils Prediction — 22 Shots, Zero Goals and a Devil Who Keeps Firing
Timo Meier has not scored this season. He has also not stopped shooting. Through four games the Devils winger has put 22 pucks on net, an average of 5.5 per game, and he has reached four shots on goal in every one of them. He had four against Philadelphia, six at the Islanders, eight against Utah and four in Saturday’s win over Vancouver. That is the most raw volume on either roster, ahead of Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt at 15 apiece.
Team context supports the rate. New Jersey is firing 37.75 shots on goal per game, which gives a top-six winger plenty of looks. Meier has skated between 16:41 and 19:57 a night alongside Nico Hischier, so the usage has been steady rather than streaky. The Devils’ problem has been conversion, not generation. Ottawa, meanwhile, allows 26.2 shots per game and is being out-attempted at five-on-five. A road team that cedes territory tends to cede shot attempts as well.
The case against is the sample and the finish. Four games is a thin window, and a shooter sitting on zero goals from 22 attempts can get moved down a lineup or start passing up looks to force a better one. Ottawa also plays a tight, low-event game, which caps how many attempts there are to go around on both sides. Ullmark will not change how often Meier shoots. A two-goal deficit might change how long Meier’s line holds the puck.
The Pick: Timo Meier 4+ Shots on Target (+195)
Senators vs. Devils Prediction — New Jersey’s Puck Line Payout Shrank While Tickets Backed Ottawa
The market is quietly leaning one way. New Jersey opened at -133 on the moneyline and now sits at -138, while Ottawa has drifted from +112 to +117. That part is unremarkable. Moneyline tickets are 73% on the Devils, and a number moving toward heavy public money is exactly what should happen. The puck line is the interesting piece. Ottawa’s +1.5 opened at -240 and is now -230, and New Jersey’s -1.5 has come in from +200 to +190, even though 59% of puck line tickets sit on the Senators. A number moving against the ticket count is the one genuine market signal in this game.
The research points the same direction. New Jersey is home, closing a homestand, and has played two games in the last six nights to Ottawa’s three. The Devils are the better possession team by a wide margin and the Senators are dressing a makeshift defense without Sanderson and Zub. Still, the risks are plain. Ullmark has been the best goaltender in the league for a week, New Jersey cannot buy a five-on-five goal, and this read is provisional on the crease. Neither starter is confirmed, and if Daws draws in ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Detroit, the price stops making sense.
The Pick: New Jersey Devils Moneyline (-138)
Our Final Word on Senators vs. Devils
Two different cases, both pointing at the home side. Ottawa has earned its 8 points and Ullmark is the main reason, but a .942 save percentage across four starts is not a rate anyone holds. New Jersey has the better of the play and the worse of the finishing, and a club sitting 11th in the East with a 61% share of shot attempts is the kind of team the market underrates in the second week of a season. The total is the one place we see nothing. It opened at 6.0 with the juice on the under and has not moved an inch since, and the special teams argument for the over roughly cancels the goaltending argument against it.
Our strongest play is Timo Meier 4+ Shots on Target at +195, because he has cleared that number in all four games while averaging 5.5 shots on a team firing nearly 38 a night. We also like the New Jersey Devils moneyline at -138, where the puck line has moved against the ticket count and the Devils own a 61% share of shot attempts at five-on-five.
NHL Senators vs. Devils FAQ: October 12, 2026
What time does the Senators vs. Devils game start?
The Senators and Devils drop the puck at 7:00 PM ET on Monday, October 12, 2026. The league schedule and national listings both carry the 7:00 PM start, while the Devils’ own game preview page lists 7:08 PM ET for the opening faceoff. Plan around the earlier time.
What channel is the Senators vs. Devils game on?
MSG Sportsnet carries the game in the New Jersey market and NHL Network has it nationally in the United States. Canadian viewers get it on Sportsnet+ and TVA Sports. This is not an ESPN or TNT window, so American viewers outside the regional footprint need NHL Network.
Where are the Senators and Devils playing?
The game is at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, the Devils’ home arena on Lafayette Street. It is New Jersey’s third straight home game and the last of a short homestand. Ottawa flies home afterward to host St. Louis on Tuesday night.
What are the Senators’ and Devils’ records this season?
Ottawa is 4-1-0 with 8 points through five games and New Jersey is 2-2-0 with 4 points through four. The Senators have won two in a row, including a shootout win over Nashville. The Devils beat Vancouver 4-1 on October 10 after losing two of their first three.
Where do the Senators and Devils stand in the standings?
Ottawa sits second in the Atlantic Division and fourth in the Eastern Conference. New Jersey is fifth in the Metropolitan Division and 11th in the East. Tampa Bay leads the Atlantic on the same 8 points as the Senators, and Carolina leads the Metropolitan with 11 points.
Who won the last meeting between the Senators and Devils?
New Jersey won the last meeting 4-3 in overtime at Prudential Center on April 12, 2026. Nico Hischier scored the overtime winner on the power play and finished with two goals. The Devils took the 2025-26 season series 2-1.