Rangers vs. Kings Prediction and Odds: New York Continues to Find Ways to Win
By Matt De Saro
The New York Rangers are on the road for their third straight game tonight at the Crypto.com Arena to take on the Los Angeles Kings. Both teams are coming off wins their last time out with the Rangers being the Ducks 4-1 and the Kings shutting out the Red Wings 4-0.
Heading into Monday night. The Rangers are second in the Metropolitan Division with a 23-9-4 overall record and 13-6-2 on the road. Their goalie for the night has been announced as Igor Shesterkin. The Russian-born keeper is 15-4-2 with a pair of shutouts and a 2.09 goals-against average. He is a big reason that the Rangers are where they are in the standings.
Some good news for the Rangers heading into this game is that Artemi Panarin is back from COVID-19 protocols. While the Rangers managed to go 3-1-0 in those four games without Panarin, he is their leading scorer and will be a big addition to the roster.
Here are the odds for tonight’s matchup, courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook.
Rangers vs. Kings Odds and Total
Moneyline:
- Rangers -110
- Kings -110
Puck line:
- Rangers +1.5 (-265)
- Kings -1.5 (+210)
Total:
- 5.5 (Over -115/Under -105)
Rangers vs. Kings Prediction and Pick
While the Rangers don’t have the metrics to support their strong winning record, they continue to find ways to win. As stated above, they only lost one game while their leading scorer was out and they outscored opponents 13-7 in those games. The Rangers rank 23rd in expected goals and are around .500 in terms of goal differential at full-strength. They are amazing on the power play but their 5-on-5 stats are a cause for concern.
While the more I look at the stats the more I like the Kings, I just can’t help but think the answer to this game isn’t in the underlying metrics. The Ranges have continued to defy the odds, math, and expectations this season. They lose their best scorer and go on a 3-1 tear and shoot the lights out. The KIngs do have a clear advantage in goal but their defense gives up too many shots for that advantage to mean much in the end.