Wild vs Rangers Picks and Predictions: Expect Few Goals at the Garden for Henrik Lundqvist Night

It's a momentous night in the Garden as the New York Rangers welcome the Minnesota Wild for Henrik Lundqvist night, where New York will retire its (soon-to-be) Hall of Fame goaltender's No. 30 jersey.

The Rangers got caught in a trap game last night, losing on the road to lowly Columbus, and are slight NHL betting home underdogs tonight against the Wild.

Will the Blueshirts put on a better effort for the home crowd to celebrate one of the greatest players in franchise history? Get our thoughts with our free NHL picks and predictions for Wild vs. Rangers on Friday, January 28.

Wild vs Rangers odds

Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.

This line opened at Minnesota -115/New York +105 and, at the time of writing, still sits around that number at most books, with New York as high as +110 and Minnesota as low as -135. The total remains at a flat 6.0.

Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right until puck drop and be sure to check out the full NHL odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.

Wild vs Rangers predictions

• Prediction: Rangers ML (+120)
• Prediction: Under 6 (-110)
• Best bet: Zuccarello Over 0.5 assists (-110)

Predictions made on 1/28/2022 at 11:12 a.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.

Wild vs Rangers game info

• Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
• Date: Friday, January 28, 2022
• Puck drop: 8:00 p.m. ET
• TV: MSG+, BSN, NHL

Wild vs Rangers betting preview

Key injuries

Wild: Jonas Brodin D (Out).
Rangers: Adam Fox D (Out), Kaapo Kakko RW (Out), Filip Chytil C (Out), Patrik Nemeth D (Out).
Find our latest NHL injury reports.

Wild vs Rangers head-to-head record (2017-2020)

Wild: 4-0-2, 21 goals for.
Rangers: 2-4-0, 13 goals for.

Betting trend to know

The Under is 8-3 in the Rangers' last 11 home games. Find more NHL betting trends for Wild vs. Rangers.

Wild vs Rangers picks and predictions

Our predictions are compiled from the analysis of the spread and total and are indications of where we are leaning for this game.
Our best bet is the play that we like the most for this game, which we would actually put some of our bankroll behind.

Moneyline analysis

The Rangers went into last night's game in Columbus having won five of six but getting outplayed in a number of those games. So it only makes sense that, in a game where New York jumped out to a 2-0 lead and outshot its opponent 36-19... the Rangers would go on to lose 5-3 to the Blue Jackets.

The Rangers absolutely dominated the third period (outshooting Columbus 20-3) but were let down by backup goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, who gave up four goals on 18 shots — but he only had an expected-goals against of 1.46, per Natural Stat Trick.

Shoddy goaltending won't be an issue tonight, as New York No. 1 (and Vezina Trophy frontrunner) Igor Shesterkin will be back between the pipes, which is only fitting on a night when the team is retiring the jersey of the greatest goaltender in franchise history — but will it be enough to get a win against a Minnesota team that has won six of seven and is the highest-scoring team in hockey over that span?

Minnesota is averaging 4.57 goals per game and 3.72 per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 action. They've been a bit lucky, however, with just 2.99 xGF/60 overall through these past seven games, with those numbers buoyed by dropping eight goals against Montreal's fourth-string goalie and seven against Anaheim's backup — things will not be that easy against the hottest goaltender in the league, who has won seven straight starts overall, 10 straight at home, and leads the NHL with 23.4 goals saved above expected (per Moneypuck).

The Wild have also been vulnerable when shorthanded. They are 21st in penalty-killing percentage during this stretch and face a Rangers power play that has converted at least once in four straight games and five of six — including last night after superstar defenseman Adam Fox left the game with an upper-body injury.

The Wild have been playing better 5-on-5 hockey than the Rangers (who rank near the bottom of the league in possession and shot-generating metrics) but that advantage can be neutralized by Shesterkin, as it has been all year. Minnesota is a solid road team but is facing a New York squad that has the second-best points percentage at home this season — and the Rangers will want to put forth a better effort than last night... especially when honoring Henrik Lundqvist, a New York icon.

Getting the Rangers at plus money at home on a night they'll surely be juiced up is too tempting for us to pass up.

Prediction: Rangers ML (+120)

Over/Under analysis

During this seven-game run, where their only setback was a shootout loss to Colorado, the Wild have also been playing elite-level defensive hockey.

Minnesota has given up the fifth-fewest goals against per 60 minutes at 5 on 5 (1.95) and an even more impressive 1.86 expected goals against per 60, the best mark in the league. Despite sitting 21st in 5-on-5 Corsi Against Per 60 (measure shot attempts against) during this span, Minnesota has limited the amount of quality chances its goalies face: The Wild have surrendered the eighth-fewest scoring chances against per 60 and third-fewest high-danger chances against per 60.

The Rangers have struggled offensively at even strength for the majority of the season, so quality chances will be few and far between for New York to hang a terribly crooked number on Minnesota tonight... but we're not expecting New York to concede much itself.

During Shesterkin's 10-game home winning streak, he's posted a 1.53 goals-against average, .954 SV%, .881 HDSV% and has given up a total of 14 goals — with 29.15 expected goals against.

The Under has cashed in eight of New York's last 11 games at Madison Square Garden and let's be honest: It just makes sense that on Henrik Lundqvist night, goals would be hard to come by.

We'll back the Under.

Prediction: Under 6 (-110)

Best bet

While Minnesota seems like a weird team to be part of Henrik Lundqvist night (he faced the Wild just 15 times in his 15-year career) it's actually quite fitting since one of the participants will be former Ranger — and one of Lundqvist's closest friends — Mats Zuccarello.

The Norwegian winger spent nine years with the Rangers but is currently enjoying his most productive season ever, with 38 points in 32 games skating alongside Ryan Hartman and Kirill Kaprizov on Minnesota's top line and No. 1 power-play unit.

He's also on an absolute heater, dishing out at least one assist in five straight games and eight of his last nine. While goals will be difficult to come by tonight, expect Zucc to also have a little pep in his step in his old stomping grounds and, with an ode to his good buddy Hank, do what he does best — set up goals.

Pick: Mats Zuccarello Over 0.5 assists (-110)

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