The New York Rangers (28-23-4) visit the Minnesota Wild (27-23-6) Thursday at Xcel Energy Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. We analyze the Rangers-Wild sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.
Rangers at Wild: Projected starting goalies
Henrik Lundqvist vs. Devan Dubnyk
Lundqvist is 10-11-3 through 25 starts and three relief appearances with a .907 save percentage and 3.12 goals against average. He took the loss Feb. 3 against the Dallas Stars while allowing four goals on just 15 shots.
Dubnyk comes into Thursday with a 10-14-2 record through 25 starts and two relief appearances. He owns a .893 SV% and 3.33 GAA. He stopped 30 of 33 shots in a loss to the Colorado Avalanche Sunday.
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Rangers at Wild: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Odds last updated at 10:15 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Rangers 4, Wild 3
Moneyline (ML)
The RANGERS (+120) are a strong value play on the road. They’re 6-4 across their last 10 games and a respectable 12-11-2 on the road for the season as they enter Thursday on a two-game winning streak. They beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 Sunday and topped the Winnipeg Jets by the same score Tuesday.
The Wild (-143) shouldn’t be favored by this much, despite their strong 17-8-4 record on home ice. They’re 7-3 across their last 10 games and coming off a 4-0 win over the Vegas Golden Knights Tuesday but with G Alex Stalock in net. Dubnyk has been the weaker of the two goaltenders all season.
New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Rangers to win in regulation, overtime or a shootout returns a profit of $12.
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
The RANGERS (+1.5, -227) should also be backed with 1 goal of insurance in the event of a loss. New York is 35-20 against the spread on the season and 16-9 on the road. Minnesota is 30-26 ATS overall but just 15-14 at home. The Rangers earned a 3-2 overtime victory in the first head-to-head meeting of the season, Nov. 25.
Over/Under (O/U)
The OVER 5.5 (-143) is Thursday’s best play between two volatile goaltenders. The Rangers are just 2-7-1 against the Over/Under across their last 10 games and the Wild are 3-5-2 over the same stretch, but the Rangers have scored at least four goals in three of their last four games. The Wild have scored three times in four of their last five outings.
Esten’s NHL betting record: 227-209
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