Devils Need to Improve Home-Ice Results During 5-Game Homestand

The New Jersey Devils are just 6-5-2 at Prudential Center entering this 5-game homestand, but is it as simple as needing more saves on home ice?

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Home ice is supposed to be an advantage, and winning on home ice has been a bit of a problem for the New Jersey Devils to open up the 2024-25 season. They have a 6-5-2 record at the Prudential Center and have had a couple of clunkers.

The Devils need to change that as they open up a five-game homestand tonight with a tilt against the Seattle Kraken. What needs to change for the Devils on home ice? And can they reverse their fortunes with this homestand?

Is It as Simple as the Devils Needing Saves?

There's no denying the Devils have been a better road team. They have an 11-4-0 record away from the Prudential Center, with some of their best wins (Florida Panthers x2, New York Rangers, and Edmonton Oilers) coming on the road.

So what's going on home ice?

Thanks to our trusty friends at Natural Stat Trick, we can split home and away results and see what's going on with the Devils. They're playing well on the road, totaling an expected goals share of 51.14 percent at five-on-five and averaging 2.61 expected goals per 60 minutes while giving up 2.49 expected goals per 60.

You may think based on those numbers, they might be worse at home since they aren't winning as often. But that is not the case. In fact, the Devils' five-on-five numbers on home ice are much better than they are on the road, as they should be.

Their 57.29 xG% at Prudential Center ranks first in the NHL. They're averaging 2.85 expected goals per 60 minutes while giving up only 2.12 expected goals per 60.

The Devils have fallen behind in a few games on home ice, but even when you adjust for score effects, they have a 54.24 xG% at Prudential Center. That's third in the NHL behind the Los Angeles Kings and Carolina Hurricanes.

If the Devils are dominating at five-on-five on home ice, then why aren't they winning more often? The answer is pretty simple. They aren't getting saves.