The New York Rangers (10-11-3) are visiting the Boston Bruins (13-6-4) for the first game of a two-game set at TD Garden Thursday. Puck drop will be at 7 p.m. ET. Below, we analyze the Rangers-Bruins odds and lines, with NHL picks and predictions.
The Bruins and Rangers are fourth and sixth, respectively, in the East Division. Boston leads the season series 3-1, but one of those victories was decided by a 3-2 score in overtime. New York has the most impressive win in the series, with it coming by a 6-2 count at Madison Square Garden Feb. 26.
The Bruins are coming off back-to-back losses against the New Jersey Devils (1-0) and New York Islanders (2-1, in a shootout). They’ve scored more than 1 goal in just one of their last four games.
The Rangers lost both parts of a two-game road set against the Pittsburgh Penguins Sunday and Tuesday. The losses came by a combined count of 9-3.
Rangers at Bruins: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:45 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Rangers +160 (bet $100 to win $160) | Bruins -190 (bet $190 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Rangers +1.5 (-175) | Bruins -1.5 (+145)
- Over/Under: 5.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Rangers at Bruins: Projected starting goalies
Alexandar Georgiev (4-3-2, .897 SV%, 3.03 GAA) vs. Jaroslav Halak (5-2-2, .919 SV%, 2.08 GAA)
Georgiev was charged with Sunday’s loss to the Penguins while allowing 3 goals on just 6 shots in 17:14 of crease time. He stopped 24 of 27 shots in a victory over the Devils in the front end of that back-to-back. He has been much worse on the road this season with an .866 SV% vs. a .911 rate on home ice.
Halak was charged with Tuesday’s loss despite stopping 26 of 27 shots and getting the B’s to a shootout against the Isles. He earned a shutout win over these Rangers while stopping all 21 shots he faced Feb. 12. He is 3-1-0 with a .935 SV% and 1.51 GAA at the Garden this season.
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Rangers at Bruins: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Bruins 4, Rangers 1
Money line (ML)
The BRUINS (-175) should be backed for the outright win despite the steep price tag. Their offense warrants more trust while the Rangers remain without LW Artemi Panarin (personal).
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Against the spread (ATS)
The better value is with backing the BRUINS -1.5 (+145) to win by 2 or more goals. While two of their three victories over the Rangers this season were by single-goal margins, they won 4-1 at home Feb. 28.
Boston is third in the NHL in 5-on-5 Corsi For percentage for the season. New York is 29th at a shot-attempt rate of just 47.39%.
Over/Under (O/U)
UNDER 5.5 (-110) is the play with both offenses struggling of late and Halak starting in his preferred location.
Boston is 0-4-1 against the O/U over its last four games. New York is 2-2-2 against the line over its last six contests.
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