The New York Rangers (41-20-10) travel to meet the Carolina Hurricanes (46-15-8) Thursday for the second end of a home-and-home set. Puck drop from PNC Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Rangers vs. Hurricanes odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
The Rangers picked up a 1-0 lead late in the 1st period at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday against the Hurricanes thanks to C Tyler Motte. Carolina’s D Jalen Chatfield, a.k.a. “Chat-man-do”, leveled things 1-1 midway through the 3rd period, before RW Kaapo Kakko restored the lead for the home side just 31 seconds later.
However, just 18 seconds later, RW Stefan Noesen evened things up at 2-2, before RW Teuvo Teravainen quieted the crowd with just 2:33 left in regulation to make it 3-2. Now, what will Part Deux bring in Raleigh?
Carolina reached 100 points in 69 games with the victory, the fewest games they’ve needed to do so in team history. It sits 2 points clear of the New Jersey Devils with 2 games in hand in the Metropolitan Division, while leading the 3rd-place Rangers by 8 points, also with 2 games in hand.
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Rangers at Hurricanes odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 5:51 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Rangers +120 (bet $100 to win $120) | Hurricanes -140 (bet $140 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Rangers +1.5 (-220) | Hurricanes -1.5 (+160)
- Over/Under (O/U): 5.5 (O: -125 | U: +105)
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Rangers at Hurricanes projected goalies
Igor Shesterkin (32-12-7, 2.58 GAA, .913 SV%, 2 SO) vs. Pyotr Kochetkov (11-6-5, 2.38 GAA, .909 SV%, 4 SO)
Shesterkin allowed 3 goals on 39 shots in Tuesday’s 3-2 loss against the Hurricanes, snapping a 5-start win streak in the process. He is still 6-2-0 with a 2.22 GAA and .927 SV% with 1 SO in 8 starts in March.
The rookie Kochetkov coughed up 5 goals on just 24 shots in his most recent appearance last Friday at the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 23-year-old turned aside all 19 shots he faced against the Philadelphia Flyers on March 9 in his most recent home start.
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Rangers at Hurricanes picks and predictions
Prediction
Rangers 3, Hurricanes 2
Moneyline
The RANGERS (+120) blew it on home ice, but New York should be able to snap right back on track against the Hurricanes in Raleigh.
The Blueshirts won’t be fazed about what happened Tuesday in a late collapse, and it won’t be fazed by the raucous crowd down south. The Rangers pounded the Hurricanes 6-2 in North Carolina on Feb. 11, and it will get the victory here, avenging the loss in the front end of the home-and-home set.
Despite Tuesday’s loss, the Rangers are still 38-16 in the past 54 meetings with the Hurricanes and the underdog is also 4-0 in the previous 4 in this series, so look for the Blueshirts to get it done.
Puck line/Against the spread
The Rangers +1.5 (-220) will cost you more than 2 times your potential return, and that’s quite expensive for a little bit of insurance. If you like New York to win, just play it straight up.
PASS.
Over/Under
The UNDER 5.5 (+105) is worth playing lightly at plus money, but go with a half-unit play at most.
The Under is 6-1-1 in Carolina’s last 8 games at home and is 6-2-1 in its last 9 games against teams with a winning record.
The Under is 5-2 in the past 7 games overall for the Rangers and 3-1-1 in their last 5 on the road. The Under came through in Tuesday’s meeting, too.
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