Betsided

Rangers vs. Blue Jackets Prediction and Odds (Expect a Defensive Battle)

By Iain MacMillan

Igor Shesterkin has established himself as a top goalie in the NHL this season.
Igor Shesterkin has established himself as a top goalie in the NHL this season. / Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports
facebooktwitterreddit

The New York Rangers hit the road to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night.

The Rangers are 7-3 in their last 10 games, and are riding a two-game winning streak heading into tonight. Fans of the team are big mad at me after I wrote yesterday that their record is fraudulent, but don't worry, I have too much integrity to let that affect how I handicap their game tonight. Obviously, they didn't read the disclaimer at the bottom of the article.

The Blue Jackets have been a hot mess this season. They're in fourth place in the Metropolitan Division, but they're a whopping 18 points back from the third place Capitals. They're 3-7 in their last 10 games, and enter tonight's contest on a three-game losing streak.

Let's take a look at the odds via WynnBET for tonight's Metro Division showdown.

Rangers vs. Blue Jackets Odds and Total

Moneyline:

  • Rangers -200
  • Blue Jackets +175

Puck line:

  • Rangers -1.5 (+125)
  • Blue Jackets +1.5 (-145)

Total:

  • 6 (Over -110/Under -110)

Rangers vs. Blue Jackets Betting Trends

  • Rangers are 5-1 in their last six games.
  • Rangers are 4-1 in their last five games against Blue Jackets.
  • The UNDER is 4-1 in the Rangers last five road games.
  • Blue Jackets are 1-6 in their last seven home games.

Rangers vs. Blue Jackets Prediction and Pick

As much as I'm not a believer in the Rangers, I'm certainly not a believer in the Blue jackets either. They rank 20th in CORSI% in the NHL, and even more importantly, 29th in high danger scoring chances. Good luck beating Rangers' goaltender Igor Shesterkin while only averaging 9.82 high danger chances a game.

New York ranks 20th and Columbus ranks 26th in expected goals for per 60 minutes, yet the total in tonight's game is up at six with the odds set as a pick'em.

I don't want to bet on the Rangers because I think we're about to see regression, but Columbus isn't exactly a team I want to bet on either. With that being said, neither team is great offensively and the Rangers have the best goaltending in the NHL. I'll take the UNDER.

Pick: UNDER 6 (-110)

Iain is 17-14-1 (+2.74 units) with his NHL picks in 2022. You can see his detailed record here.

Home/NHL