The New York Rangers visit the Boston Bruins in a tape-measuring matchup between the two division leaders in the Eastern Conference. Both teams are contenders in the Stanley Cup odds and could meet again this spring for a seven-game series with a trip to the finals on the line.
Boston boasts a 23-8-6 record at TD Garden, and the Bruins are a home favorite in the NHL odds. New York brings a 21-11-4 road record to Beantown, and it'll be looking to avoid consecutive losses after the Jets topped them 4-2 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.
Here are my free NHL picks for the Rangers vs. Bruins showdown on Thursday, March 21.
Rangers vs Bruins odds
Rangers vs Bruins predictions
This is a unique schedule spot for both the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins. Boston starts a six-game road trip following tonight's clash, and New York is in the middle of a busy stretch of eight games in 13 days.
This'll be the Rangers seventh game and they’ll also be without top-four defensemen Jacob Trouba (lower body) and Ryan Lindgren (lower body). Considering New York ranks 24th in expected goals against per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 (2.68), losing a pair of go-to blueliners isn’t ideal for a road matchup against a deep lineup in the midst of a busy schedule.
Making matters worse, Trouba and Lindgren lead New York blueliners in shorthanded ice time per game, and the Bruins will have all their impact players jumping the boards tonight. Boston ranks eighth in power-play percentage (24.2%), too.
The Bruins have also won five of their past six contests, and projected starter Jeremy Swayman is ripe for a rebound showing after allowing nine goals across his past two starts. Even with those two duds, Swayman is 13-6-1 with a .917 SV% and 2.45 GAA on home ice this season. Additionally, the 25-year-old American ranks second in the league with 0.43 goals saved above average per 60 minutes.
Of course, the great equalizer for the Rangers is their No. 1 Igor Shesterkin. I just haven’t seen the same game-to-game consistency from the Russian star this year, and his peaks and valleys will be tougher to overcome behind a banged up blueline corps.
Finally, with the Rangers ranking 22nd in Corsi For percentage (47.4%) and 26th in expected goals percentage (46.6%) on the highway, I don’t think the vig is high enough on the home team Thursday.
My best bet: Bruins moneyline (-135 at DraftKings)
Rangers vs Bruins same-game parlay
Bruins moneyline
Mika Zibanejad Under 0.5 points
In addition to the highlighted edges in favor of the Bruins, they also allow the third-fewest goals per 60 at 5-on-5 (1.99) and seventh-fewest overall (2.59) on home ice.
As a result, I’m anticipating Boston holding the New York offense in check. Additionally, while neither Trouba or Lindgren are impact offensive defenders, the Rangers will have a tougher time clearing the defensive zone and navigating the neutral zone without them.
I’ve targeted Mika Zibanejad in the points market because his odds don’t correlate with his down offensive season and current slump. Zibanejad is down to 2.58 points per 60 minutes and 1.49 at 5-on-5 after posting respective 3.34 and 2.19 marks last year, and he’s also missed the scoresheet in eight of the past 12 games.
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Rangers vs Bruins moneyline and Over/Under analysis
There has been a small move to the Boston side of this moneyline since opening. Sports Interaction moved the Bruins from -130 to -135, and bet365 made a similar adjustment of -135 to -140. Additionally, I suspect there'll be enough betting support for the Rangers as an underdog that we won’t see huge line movement leading into puck drop.
The total is a consensus 5.5 with the Over carrying the chalk. I wouldn’t be surprised if the number climbed to 6.0 because Boston has scored six goals in consecutive games, and New York will be without Trouba and Lindgren. At the same time, the Rangers and Bruins respectively rank sixth and seventh with just 2.7 goals against per game, so these are two of the better defensive teams.
Rangers vs Bruins betting trend to know
Boston has won five of its past six games and four of its past five at home. Find more NHL betting trends for Rangers vs. Bruins.
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Rangers vs Bruins game info
| Location: | TD Garden, Boston, MA |
| Date: | Thursday, March 21, 2024 |
| Puck drop: | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | NESN, MSG2 |
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