NHL Odds, Preview, Prediction: Rangers vs. Ducks (November 23)

Rangers vs. Ducks Odds

The New York Rangers are coming off of a massive come-from-behind victory last night against the Los Angeles Kings, winning 5-3 after trailing 2-0 early in the game.

Tonight they will be playing the second half of a back-to-back and the final game of their West Coast road trip. Jaroslav Halak is expected to get the start in net.

The Anaheim Ducks have had a nightmare of a start to this season and enter tonight with a 5-13-1 record. They are the only team in the NHL that has not yet won a game in regulation.

The Ducks are currently on a three-game skid, and they've been struggling to score goals in that span. But tonight they will face the Rangers' backup goalie.

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Something to Build Upon for New York Rangers

The New York Rangers are still trying to find more consistency at 5-on-5, and last night was a solid start for them. Four out of their five goals came at even strength, and this is something that the group can build off of.

The last time the Rangers played the Ducks, goal-scoring was not an issue at all. This contest was back on Oct. 17, and they scored six goals on 43 shots on goal.

That being said, three out of those six goals came on the power play, which is an area in which they can really expose the Ducks, who have the worst penalty kill in the NHL.

The Rangers didn't have any power play opportunities in last night's contest, but their man-advantage unit has scored on three of their last 11 attempts. This team has been guilty of relying a little too much on their power play unit, but tonight this group should be able to take over.

As previously mentioned, Halak is expected to get the nod in goal since Igor Shesterkin played last night. Halak has not gotten off to the hottest start to the season, and he enters with a 0-4-1 record and a .883 SV% to go with his 3.22 GAA. Halak hasn't had the best of luck this season, but he is looking to get his first win of the year tonight.

A Welcome Homecoming for Anaheim Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks have played their last three games on the road, losing all three of those battles, but they will be fired up to get back on home ice tonight.

Two players to keep your eyes on are the former Rangers Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano. These two players haven't necessarily been dominating this season, but they both had strong games in their last meeting against the Rangers, and I expect the same from both of them tonight.

The Ducks have had some trouble scoring goals this season, entering this game ranked 30th in goals for per game with just 2.53, But they have been horrendous in their defensive zone. They have allowed 12 goals in their last three games, and they have the league's second-worst 4.26 goals against per game.

The goaltending has been horrible for Anaheim as both of their netminders, John Gibson and Anthony Stolarz, have save percentages below .900. Gibson is tonight's expected starter, and he enters this game with a 3-11-1 record and a .891 SV% along with a 4.15 GAA. He has not been a very scary goalie to go up against.

The Ducks are going to play a wide-open game, allowing tons of scoring chances, but hopefully for their sake, they can find a way to score some goals as well.

Rangers vs. Ducks Pick

This game isn't going to have a strong goaltending battle, so I expect the offenses to take over for both teams. Each side has a ton of weapons. For the Rangers, I am looking at Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider and Adam Fox. For the Ducks, I have my eyes on Troy Terry, Trevor Zegras, Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano.

Last night felt like a shift in momentum for the Rangers season after they got completely dominated in the first period against the Kings, but then we saw what looked like a completely different team in the second and third periods. They will do their best to carry that momentum into tonight's game.

The Ducks have the talent to score goals; they have just struggled to put it all together this season. That being said, they were able to put up four goals the last time they played the Rangers, and that was with Igor Shesterkin in goal. They should be able to find the back of the net tonight against Halak.

I think the value in this game is on the over. The Rangers got their offense going last night and should be able to sustain that against a weaker Ducks team, and Anaheim should see some offensive success as well.

Pick: Rangers vs. Ducks over 6 (-112)

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