The Vegas Golden Knights continue their Eastern Conference road trip with a matchup against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Friday night. It should be an interesting interconference game, so let's get into the NHL odds and more.
Vegas has split the first two games of its road trip with an overtime loss in New Jersey and a win on Long Island in a back-to-back situation. Meanwhile, the Rangers are returning home after a lackluster 1-2-1 road trip.
Can the Rangers return to form at home or will the Golden Knights stay hot on the road? Read on for our Golden Knights vs. Rangers NHL picks and predictions on Friday, January 26.
Golden Knights vs Rangers odds
Golden Knights vs Rangers predictions
The Vegas Golden Knights have seen their depth get tested over the past few weeks with injuries to a handful of players. Most notably, the Knights have been without their top two centers (Jack Eichel and William Karlsson) while key defenseman Shea Theodore remains on the shelf.
Vegas has largely passed that test, though, going 4-0-1 in its last five games and 6-2-1 in its last nine. Most recently, the Golden Knights battled to a 3-2 win on Long Island despite getting outshot 42-27 by the Islanders.
"We want to win a hockey game. We did that," head coach Bruce Cassidy said. "We certainly weren't perfect, but I thought we competed harder. We kept the puck out of the net, and that was basically the ask after yesterday."
The Golden Knights’ recent success includes a 5-1 win against these New York Rangers on January 18. That loss for the Blueshirts opened a 1-2-1 road trip with the lone win coming against the lowly Ducks.
In fact, the Rangers haven’t been getting good results over the past few weeks. New York is 4-6-2 in this calendar year with those wins coming against four non-playoff teams (Chicago, Washington, Seattle, Anaheim). The Rangers have struggled against tougher competition recently with multi-goal losses to Carolina, Vancouver, and Vegas in 2024.
The good news for the Rangers is that they're now back at home where they're 15-6-0 this season, and Vegas is only 10-9-4 on the road. However, the first game of a homestand after a long road trip can be tough, especially given the fact that the Rangers were on the other coast for the past week.
The Rangers are rightful home favorites against the Golden Knights, but the NHL odds are just a bit too high. There's value on Vegas tonight at MSG.
My best bet: Golden Knights moneyline (+138 at FanDuel)
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Golden Knights vs Rangers same-game parlay
Golden Knights moneyline
Jonathan Marchessault anytime goal
Under 7.5
The Golden Knights moneyline is our best bet on Friday night against the Rangers. It’s also going to anchor our same-game parlay.
One of the few Golden Knights top forwards to remain healthy this season is Jonathan Marchessault. The reigning Conn Smythe winner already has 22 goals in 48 games this season and is on pace to soar past his career-high of 30 goals. He scored in four straight games, including against the Rangers, before being limited to just an assist against the Islanders.
Marchessault is stepping up with Eichel out and that should continue tonight in New York.
Finally, we’re going with a contrarian Under 7.5 to close out the parlay. The return of Adin Hill is crucial for Vegas. Hill took over the net last year and is 11-2-2 with a 1.93 GAA and .935 SV% this season.
Vegas has gone Under 7.5 in 12 of its last 13 games with the Rangers hitting that mark in eight straight and 19 of their last 20 games.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Golden Knights vs Rangers moneyline and Over/Under analysis
The Rangers have received most of the tickets and handle thus far, but the line movement hasn't necessarily reflected that. The Rangers are down to -150 (BetMGM) after opening around -165. Meanwhile, the Vegas Golden Knights are still up at +138 (FanDuel) but they're as low as +125 (BetMGM).
Line shopping is important for any game, and this one is no different.
The total opened at 5.5 but has moved up to a flat six at some books. You can get Over 5.5 (-122) or Under 5.5 (+108) with Over 6 (+100) and Under 6 (-120) offered as well.
Keep an eye out for Hill to be confirmed to start tonight. It's the first half of a back-to-back set for both teams but Igor Shesterkin is already confirmed for the Rangers. The line could move further in New York's favor — and the total could move higher — if Logan Thompson is in net for Vegas.
Golden Knights vs Rangers betting trend to know
The Vegas Golden Knights have only hit the Game Total Over in 48 of their last 103 games (-8.45 Units / -7% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Golden Knights vs. Rangers.
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Golden Knights vs Rangers game info
| Location: | Madison Square Garden, New York, NY |
| Date: | Friday, January 26, 2024 |
| Puck drop: | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | ESPN |
Golden Knights vs Rangers latest injuries
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