The San Jose Sharks (0-5-0) try to stop their skid against the New York Rangers (3-1-0) Thursday. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Sharks vs. Rangers odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
Not much has gone right for the Sharks, and their travel schedule has been brutal. They played the first 2 games overseas in Prague, followed by 2 games at home before traveling to the Eastern Conference for 4 games. This is the 2nd game of that trip. San Jose has scored 8 goals in 5 games, and it gets to face one of the best goalies in the league Thursday.
The Rangers have been solid with only a 4-1 setback at the Winnipeg Jets as the only blemish on their record. They’ve scored at least 3 goals in all games but that one. LW Artemi Panarin leads the league with 10 points (2 goals, 8 assists). C Mika Zibanejad isn’t far behind with 8 points (4 goals, 4 assists).
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Sharks at Rangers odds
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:10 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Sharks +215 (bet $100 to win $215) | Rangers -280 (bet $280 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Sharks +1.5 (-108) | Rangers -1.5 (-112)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: +100 | U: -125)
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Sharks at Rangers projected goalies
James Reimer (0-3-0, 3.05 GAA, .919 SV%, 0 SO) vs. Igor Shesterkin (3-0-0, 2.68 GAA, .905 SV%, 0 SO)
Poor Reimer. He hasn’t been bad, but he is facing an average of 37 shots a night. The blue line in front of him is simply not good. His .919 SV% is actually ahead of Lightning G Andrei Vasilevskiy and his Thursday counterpart G Igor Shesterkin — the 2 best goalies in the league. Reimer hasn’t faced the Rangers since 2019.
Shesterkin hasn’t had to be great. He allowed 4 goals in a 6-4 win against the Anaheim Ducks and 3 goals in a 7-3 victory at the Minnesota Wild. His numbers are a little sketchy, but he locks in when necessary. He has had a couple of days to freshen up since the Anaheim game Monday, and I look for him to be stingy Thursday.
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Sharks at Rangers picks and predictions
Prediction
Rangers 3, Sharks 1
Moneyline
There aren’t a lot of sound options to bet on this game. I think the Sharks will break through for their first win soon, but it’s not coming against Shesterkin. I also don’t foresee the Rangers shelling Reimer, who has had to be in midseason form with the frequent fire coming at him.
Let’s take the SHARKS UNDER 2.5 TOTAL GOALS (-150).
Puck line/Against the spread
I like the Sharks to hang around, but -108 isn’t enough incentive with the danger of an empty-netter crushing that bet.
PASS.
Over/Under
I LOVE the Under here. The Under is 4-1 in the Sharks’ last 5 games against Eastern Conference foes and it’s 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these sides in New York.
HAMMER the UNDER 6.5 (-125), and I’d consider taking UNDER 5.5 (+127) as well. I don’t see San Jose scoring more than 2 goals on Shesterkin, and this really should be a 5.5 number.
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