Devils limp into DC as Thompson looks to feast on road-weary defense

The Devils roll into Capital One Arena having allowed five goals per game away from Newark, and guess what? They're running into a Capitals squad that's averaging four tallies per contest on home ice. This isn't rocket science, folks.

Jake Allen's .885 save percentage isn't going to cut it against a Washington attack that's clicking at 3-1 in their building. Meanwhile, Logan Thompson has been the steadier hand between the pipes with a .904 mark and nearly two-tenths better GAA. In a market treating this like a coin-flip, that goaltending gap is everything.

New Jersey's shown they can hang at home, but their road form tells a different story entirely—one goal allowed per period is a recipe for disaster when you're facing a Capitals team finding its offensive rhythm. Washington isn't lighting the world on fire, but they don't need to be world-beaters when the opposition is leaking oil defensively.

DarkHorse likes the Capitals at -120, and it's hard to argue. Thompson's form plus home cooking against a Devils defense that's been Swiss cheese on the road? That's not a coin-flip—that's value hiding in plain sight. Lay the short price and sleep easy.