NHL Best Bets: Rangers vs. Canadiens Game Picks

Two teams headed in opposite directions will collide tonight, with the New York Rangers visiting the Montreal Canadiens from the Bell Centre.

All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

New York Rangers (-220) vs. Montreal Canadiens (+180) Total: 6 (O -105, U -118)

There’s not much like about the Montreal Canadiens’ direction this season. The Habs have lost five straight games and are 1-8-1 over their last ten. They’re returning home from a seven-game road trip, and it’s hard to have confidence in what they’ll bring to the table this evening. On the other hand, the Rangers have been playing well, winning a pair in a row and posting a 7-2-1 record over their last ten games. 

The Habs are icing one of the youngest blue lines in the NHL and are struggling to keep pucks out of their net, sitting 29th in goals allowed per game. Meanwhile, the Rangers’ strong suit has been exactly that, sitting eighth in that category. 

Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the visiting Rangers should continue riding Igor Shesterkin, while the Canadiens should do the same with Jake Allen. The Rangers netminder has an 18-6-5 record with a .917 save percentage, while Allen is 9-15-1 with a .894 save percentage. It’d be difficult not to give the Rangers a sizable edge in net.

With how the Canadiens are playing and returning home from a long road trip, it’s hard to have any confidence in them tonight. As a result, bettors should turn their attention toward the Rangers’ puck line, which currently sits in plus-money at +114. 

Best Bet: Rangers puck line -1.5 (+114) 

Three of the last five Rangers games have seen six or more goals scored, while four of the previous five Habs games have. It might be challenging to see the Habs finding a ton of offensive success against the Rangers, but New York should have no problem lighting the lamp at the Bell Centre. With the recent trends of these teams, it’s hard to look away from the value that the over six presents at -105 on the board. 

Best Bet: Over six (-105)

Some solid offensive pieces on the Rangers stand out. The most glaring is Mika Zibanejad, who has been scoring at a high clip. The Swedish forward has led the team with four goals over their last five games. He has already tallied 43 points in 39 games, including 19 goals which also leads the team. With the Rangers facing a Montreal team that has had difficulty keeping pucks out of their net, there’s likely some value in backing Zibanejad to score at +148. 

Best Prop: Mika Zibanejad to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+148)