New York Rangers vs. Boston Bruins Prediction, NHL Odds
Granted, most teams in the East are in playoff contention, but it’s best to be lumped in there than be the doormat.
These should be two hard-fought points. The Rangers have two wins in their last six games, while the Bruins have three wins in their last seven. With several division and conference opponents keeping pace, every point is important as they prove to be vital come spring. This should be a great game between a couple of Original Six opponents.
Rangers vs. Bruins NHL Betting Odds
The Rangers have been great on the road this year. They are 10-4-1 away from the friendly confines including 11-4 on the puck line. New York will likely need that strong road form, as Boston has won six out of its last seven played at home. The Bruins are also 9-3 on the puck line at home.
Head-to-head, the Rangers have had the edge in recent seasons, as they have taken five out of the last six against the Bruins. Rosters may look a bit different in this edition of Rangers-Bruins given that players have been banged up for both teams this month. They’ve been treading water, and the role players could be bigger difference makers in this one.
New York Rangers
It’s a bit unconventional that the Rangers are far better on the road than they are at home. However, for this game against a team that has played great at home, the strong play in the opponent’s arena should be just what the Rangers need. It was looking shaky for them when they lost three consecutive road games last week, but they corrected course by beating a strong Hurricanes team in Carolina on Wednesday.
What bodes well for the Rangers against any opponent is their goal prevention. New York’s 2.60 goals allowed per game is good for fourth in the NHL. The Rangers’ goal scoring is a much different story, as their 2.56 goals scored per game ranks 30th in the league. If they are going to hang with this Bruins team that is in strong form, they’ll need to lean on what makes them successful.
Boston Bruins
After a stretch of one win in four games, the Bruins have since won two out of their last three. Their last four losses have not exactly been ugly either, as they fell to Ottawa, Carolina, Anaheim, and San Jose. The Bruins appear to have snapped out of it though, considering they’ve played and won tight games against good teams lately.
The matchup of top-end talent and depth looks to favour Boston in this one. Morgan Geekie’s 17 goals are second in the NHL, and David Pastrnak’s 29 points are T-11th in the league. The Rangers don’t have a point-per-game player and generally don’t have great depth. On paper, the Bruins look better.
NHL Prediction: Who Will Win Rangers vs. Bruins?
The Bruins have proved that their current 10-4-0 run isn’t an aberration. Could they fizzle out and miss the playoffs? Sure, but to be fair, the entire Eastern Conference is mathematically very alive and also could fizzle out. What Boston has shown is regardless of the standings, this is a good team.
The Rangers have been a bit of a tale of two teams. Brutal at home, solid on the road, recently lost four straight, and then won two straight. The volatility is tough to lean on. Boston appears the more reliable play, but by a narrow margin of 3-2.
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