The New York Rangers (12-11-2) and Boston Bruins (14-11-0) meet in the NHL tonight. Puck drop is set for 1:00 p.m. EST at TD Garden in Boston, Mass. The game will be broadcast live on TNT.
The Rangers are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 5.5 (-132o / +110u). The Rangers are a -135 favorite to win outright, while the Bruins are +114 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Rangers vs. Bruins predictions and NHL picks.
Rangers vs. Bruins Odds, Pick
| Rangers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +180 | 5.5 -132o / +110u | -135 |
| Bruins Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -218 | 5.5 -132o / +110u | +114 |
- Rangers vs. Bruins Spread: Rangers -1.5 (+180), Bruins +1.5 (-218)
- Rangers vs. Bruins Over/Under: 5.5 (-132o / +110u)
- Rangers vs. Bruins Moneyline: Rangers -135, Bruins +114
Rangers vs. Bruins Preview
New York Rangers
Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday. The Friday after Thanksgiving always calls for the perfect blend of leftovers and hockey throughout the day.
After a day of stuffing our faces and entrenching ourselves in football, the second game on the road to Christmas includes the Rangers and the Bruins.
New York spent yesterday as a team in Beantown after coming away with a win against the Carolina Hurricanes. A game in which the majority of the team came away gravely disappointed with their performance.
Captain J.T. Miller told reporters after the win that it was a tough game and had to be bailed out by their goaltender, Igor Shesterkin.
Shesterkin saving the Rangers’ bacon is nothing new.
In a season where the Rangers are ranked 13th in the Eastern Conference, Shesterkin is playing at an incredibly high level, boasting a .911 SV% and a sixth-best 12.0 GSAx.
And he’s doing it all while the team is posting a bottom-15 penalty kill.
Luckily for the Blue Shirts, who are coached by Mike Sullivan, a Sullivan-coached team is always structurally sound, which in turn makes Shesterkin’s job rather easy.
Boston Bruins
I’m not sure anyone expected the Bruins to be performing at the high level that they’re playing at this moment.
On Wednesday’s win against the Islanders, goaltender Jeremy Swayman put the team on his back and helped the B’s pull out a 3-1 win. The Islanders peppered 45 shots Swayman’s way, while the Bruins only threw 14 shots.
It was a remarkable performance, because ultimately, the Isles probably should’ve won that game. But Boston’s depth showed up with two goals from Alex Steeves and one from Tanner Jeannot.
Marco Sturm has his boys rolling lately, despite playing poorly in 5-on-5 hockey. Special teams and goaltending have been the key here.
Boston is playing to a top-10 penalty kill and a top-five power play, while Swayman is posting a .915 SV% and a league-leading 17.5 GSAx.
Rangers vs. Bruins Prediction
Boston and the under being listed as the underdogs here to me is quite bold.
Perhaps it’s because the B’s are shorthanded, missing top defenseman Charlie McAvoy, as well as top-six forwards Viktor Arvidsson and Casey Mittelstadt.
But as far as I’m concerned, this battle is as even as it gets. New York has the upper hand 5-on-5, but Boston is the better team on special teams.
Beyond that, it’s all about goaltending. And after the performances we’ve seen from Shesterkin and Swayman, it’s hard not to put trust in the big dogs.
Not only that, let’s factor in a Thanksgiving hangover as well.
Both teams have found ways to make their games low-scoring. And even though my record in betting under 5.5 games is… not good… this allows me to get back on the horse before delaying the inevitable.
Enjoy your leftovers, and let’s win some green.
Pick: Under 5.5 (+114)
