It's a tied series now as home-ice advantage switches to Pittsburgh as the Penguins will host the Rangers for games three and four. Game one was a very exciting game as the Penguins ended up winning in triple overtime, even after having to resort to their third-string goaltender, Louis Domingue. The Rangers took over game two pretty convincingly with a 5-2 victory. Who will take the series lead as the Penguins take back home-ice advantage? It’s time to continue our NHL odds series with a Rangers-Penguins prediction and pick.
Here are the Rangers-Penguins NHL Odds, Courtesy of FanDuel
NHL Odds: Rangers-Penguins Odds
New York Rangers: -1.5 (+198) (-120 ML)
Pittsburgh Penguins: +1.5 (-245) (+100 ML)
Over: 6 (-105)
Under: 6 (-115)
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Why The Rangers Can Cover The Spread/Win
The New York Rangers bounced back from a 4-3 triple-overtime loss in game one and won game two 5-2. Superstar goaltender Igor Shesterkin has 79 (I repeat, 79!) saves in game one, with another 39 saves in game two. He is easily the shining light for the Rangers and will look to lead the team into a deep playoff run. With that said, expect him to be back for game three with his .952 playoff save percentage. The biggest flaw for the Rangers is their puck possession, especially going against a team that has a powerful offense in the Penguins. As long as the Rangers can focus on defense and limit the scoring chances, they have a strong chance of taking game three on the road.
Why The Penguins Can Cover The Spread/Win
The Pittsburgh Penguins are doing everything they can to keep their offense flowing since they're forced to play Louis Domingue in the net for the second game in a row. As an NHL goaltender, he's still much better than the average beer league netminder, but compared to the usual starter, Tristan Jarry, who is still recovering from a broken foot, he's nothing to write home about. Speaking of injuries, the Penguins are without Richard Rakell and Brian Dumoulin again for game three. With the ending of contracts to star players, this could very well be the last dance for the Penguins to win another cup while they still have their superstar players together.
Final Rangers-Penguins Prediction & Pick
As long as Tristan Jarry remains out for the Penguins, so will my confidence. Of course, they're very strong offensively, but in the playoffs, goaltending means everything. With that, I still think the Rangers are going to take the series, likely in six games, starting with another win tonight. Igor Shesterkin is just too good to bet against, regardless if the Rangers aren't as effective on offense. Of course, home-ice advantage is a huge uptick in value for the underdog Penguins, but I still like the Rangers to pull off a very close win.
Final Rangers-Penguins Prediction and Pick: Rangers Moneyline (-120)
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