Bruins vs Rangers Expert Analysis and Prediction

The New York Rangers sitting at 25-23-4 will host the Boston Bruins who are at 27-22-6 in a high-stakes, nationally televised Eastern Conference matchup tonight at Madison Square Garden. Whenever a pair of Original-6 teams go head to head, it’s always a good game.

Both teams are battling for playoff positioning, and this game has serious implications. It’s going to be a good one with plenty of betting opportunities.

Odds and Key Stats For This Showdown

The Rangers come into tonight’s game as the favorites with -175 on the moneyline, while the Bruins are the underdogs at just +145. The over/under is set at 6 goals which isn’t that high meaning this might just be a battle of the defenses.

In their 2 previous games this season each team took a game, so the series is tied 1-1. The Bruins dominated the last meeting, winning 6-3 a few weeks ago. However, the Rangers hold home-ice advantage this time around, and their dominance at MSG has been one of the biggest factors in keeping their playoff hopes alive.

Scoring leaders will undoubtedly play a huge role in this game.

For the Bruins, David Pastrnak leads the charge with 66 points consisting of 27 goals and 39 assists. While he is the scoring leader for the Bruins, he knows how to set up plays as well. He’s all over the ice.

On the Rangers’ side of the ice, Artemi Panarin has been just as impactful. He’s coming in with 22 goals and 34 assists for 56 points but also has the help of Adam Fox when it comes to setting up big plays.

Goaltending will also be under the spotlight. Both Jeremy Swayman and Igor Shesterkin have struggled with consistency this season. They’re posting save percentages of .888 and .906, respectively which doesn’t put them in the upper tier of netminders in the NHL.

Bruins vs. Rangers Analysis

The Bruins have been looking great recently as they went 6-3-1 in their last 10 games.

They’ve scored at will during this stretch and absolutely dominated in the zone with games averaging an insane 7.2 total goals — much higher than their season average of 5.7.

Boston’s offense has unquestionably been powered by Pastrnak. While he finds the back of the net with no problem at all, it’s their defense that remains a concern. They simply give up too many high-danger chances.

The Rangers, on the other hand, are 5-3-2 in their last 10 games which isn’t too bad, either. The big takeaway is that they’ve shown a bit more defensive stability, averaging 6.1 goals per game over the same span.

Shesterkin, despite his subpar numbers this season, has shown he can perform when he needs to at home. We think his ability to shut down elite scorers like Pastrnak could be the difference.

Special teams will also be one of the more pivotal aspects of this game. The Bruins have the slight edge on the power play unit as they’re converting 14.9% of their chances compared to the Rangers’ 14.1%. Both of these aren’t great, but at least they’re fairly even. However, New York’s penalty kill has been much better, operating at 76.6% versus Boston’s 72.4%. 

The Rangers are desperate to climb in the Metropolitan Division standings, which is one of the toughest in the league. They sit 5th but they’re looking for some momentum to climb back into a playoff slot. The Bruins, while still in the playoff mix, are trying to gain ground in the Atlantic Division — another challenging division — but have struggled with consistency on the road which might just be their downfall for tonight.

Prediction and Best Bet

This is shaping up to be a close game. However, we think the Rangers have the upper hand at home.

They’ve been slightly better defensively, and their top scorers — led by Panarin — have been delivering in key moments and creating high-danger chances. The Bruins’ defense is definitely a liability, and Swayman’s performance in net doesn’t inspire too much confidence, either.

The last time these 2 met, the Bruins cruised to an easy win, but we don’t expect a repeat of that. The Rangers’ home crowd at MSG, coupled with Boston’s defensive struggles, should give New York the edge, though not by much.

• HelloRookie’s Prediction: Rangers 4, Bruins 2
• Best Bet: Rangers moneyline (-175)

The Rangers are set to take this one, and with both teams hitting the over frequently in recent games, there’s also some value in betting over 6 goals which is not a tall order by any standard. We are expecting Shesterkin to do enough to keep Boston’s offense in check while New York takes advantage of any defensive lapses and mistakes.