NHL Odds, Preview, Expert Pick & Prediction: Rangers vs. Devils (Thursday, March 30)
Via Jared Silber/Getty Images. Pictured: Patrick Kane #88 of the New York Rangers skates against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Madison Square Garden on March 18, 2023 in New York City.
- The New Jersey Devils are slight home favorites on Thursday night in this rivalry matchup against the New York Rangers.
- The Rangers, however, have been rounding into form with eight wins in their last 10 games.
- Jonny Lazarus breaks down the matchup and shares his betting prediction below.
Rangers vs. Devils Odds
| Rangers Odds | +114 |
| Devils Odds | -137 |
| Over/Under | 6.5 |
| Time | 7 p.m. ET |
| TV | MSGSN |
The New York Rangers are heading across the Hudson River to take on their rivals, the New Jersey Devils, in what could be a very heated battle that has the potential to be a first-round Stanley Cup Playoffs matchup.
These two teams have already had three incredible battles this season, two of which ended in overtime. The Devils have won two out of the three meetings and currently sit two points ahead of the Rangers in the Metropolitan Division standings.
This is a massive game for both teams as they are trying to lock down home ice for the first round of the playoffs. The Rangers have been humming, while the Devils have been a little inconsistent lately.
The Rangers might be the underdogs, but they have won seven out of their last eight games.
Rangers Finding Their Form
The New York Rangers are coming on hot, winning seven out of their last eight games with a record of 8-1-1 in their last 10 overall. The Rangers' first line of Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and Vladimir Tarasenko has started to form some elite chemistry as of late. In their last 10 games, Panarin has added six goals and six assists, Zibanejad has tallied six goals with eight assists, and Tarasenko has added two goals with four assists.
The Rangers have scored 21 goals in their previous five games and are beginning to look like one of the league's most dangerous teams offensively. They are averaging 3.36 goals per game, but they are generating the fourth-most scoring chances, skating to 12.82 chances per game.
Igor Shesterkin is the confirmed starter for this game, and he has really found his form, looking like the Vezina-winning goalie whom we saw last year. In his last seven starts, he is 6-1-0 with a 1.71 Goals-Against Average and a .947 save percentage. The team has been very sound in the defensive zone as they have only allowed nine goals in their last five games.
The Rangers are heating up at the right time, and they need to win this game.
Devils Look to Bounce Back
The New Jersey Devils have been excellent all season long, but the previous few games haven't been their best. In their last 10 games, they are 4-4-2, but they are coming off of a 5-1 spanking on the road against the Islanders.
The Devils will certainly get their fair amount of scoring chances in this game. They are generating the most scoring chances per game in the NHL, averaging 13.39 each night, while skating to the fifth-most shots on goal per game, shooting 34.5 a game.
Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt are the three players who have been carrying the offensive load for the Devils this season. Hughes has been a bit of a Ranger killer since he entered the league; in 15 total games against New York, he has tallied nine goals and five assists.
New Jersey has been dominating the Metropolitan Division lately, going 8-1 in their last nine games against divisional opponents, but they haven't been so strong at home against the Rangers in recent history. They have lost six out of the last eight meetings at home against their rivals in the big city, so this game is just as big for this Devils team as they try to create more separation in the Metro.
Rangers vs. Devils Pick
Whenever these two teams get together, it is always an exciting duel, but with the significance of this particular meeting, there should be some extra physicality and a lot of emotion.
The Rangers are 10-3 in the last 13 meetings between the two, but the Devils have taken two out of the three meetings this season. Lately, it has been the Rangers who appear to be the better team as Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko are fitting in quite nicely with their new teammates.
Igor Shesterkin has been on absolute fire, and this Rangers team has way more experience in big games like this one. I love the Rangers here as an underdog.
Pick: New York Rangers ML +114 |
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