The New Jersey Devils (13–5–1) visit the Florida Panthers (10–8–1) tonight at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, looking to bounce back from Tuesday’s 5–1 loss to Tampa Bay — a game played without star center Jack Hughes, who remains on injured reserve following finger surgery and is expected to miss roughly eight weeks.

Hughes leads New Jersey with 20 points and 10 goals through 17 games, underscoring how significant his absence is.

Despite Tuesday’s loss, the Devils have won five of their last seven and sit second in the Metropolitan Division. Their underlying numbers remain strong: they average 3.16 goals per game while allowing 3.00, generate 29.6 shots per night, and own a top-tier power play converting at 23.5%. Jesper Bratt continues to drive their offense with a team-high 13 assists, while Dawson Mercer leads the club at +6.

Florida, meanwhile, comes in 7–2–1 on home ice and riding momentum from an 8–5 win over Vancouver on Monday. Brad Marchand has been outstanding, leading the Panthers with 23 points and 13 goals in 18 games, while Anton Lundell’s 11 assists pace their playmaking.

The Panthers are slightly looser defensively: they score 3.00 goals per game and allow 3.05, and their power play sits at 21.1% with a penalty kill at 78.3%. Sergei Bobrovsky (9–5–0, .883 SV%) has struggled statistically, and Florida’s defensive group has allowed 28.5 shots per game — but the Panthers have compensated with high-end scoring depth.

These teams met earlier this season, a 3–1 Devils win on October 16 in Newark, where Jake Allen stopped 21 of 22 shots and Timo Meier and Nico Hischier scored in the third period to put the game away. Florida produced offense that night but couldn’t solve Allen consistently, and the Devils’ special teams made the difference with a power-play goal from Hughes.

The Devils are the more structured team, even without Hughes, but Florida’s home-ice scoring burst poses a real challenge. With both clubs averaging around three goals and owning middle-tier goals-against rates, the data points to a game that could open up, especially if Florida pushes pace early as they typically do at home.

Prediction

Expect a game with offensive bursts and momentum swings. The Panthers’ home advantage gives them a slight edge, provided they start strong and protect the lead. The Devils, however, are more than capable of keeping this tight and competitive.

Projected Final Score: Panthers 4, Devils 3

How to Watch Devils vs. Panthers

Puck drop for tonight’s game between the New Jersey Devils and Florida Panthers is set for 7:00 PM Eastern at Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, Florida.

The game airs live locally on MSG and SCripps Sports. Out-of-market viewers can stream the game on ESPN+.

You can watch the game free on ESPN+ by starting a trial with DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, or FuboTV, all of which include ESPN+.

After signing up, activate your ESPN plan and link it to your MyDisney login. If you already have Hulu + Live TV, you’ll automatically get access through that account. Remember to cancel before the trial ends if you don’t plan to keep the service.

New Jersey Devils vs. Florida Panthers

Date: Thursday, November 20, 2025

Time: 7:00 PM Eastern

Venue: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, FL

TV: MSG, Scripps Sports

Streaming: ESPN+, Gotham Sports