The New York Rangers (32-24-4) host the San Jose Sharks (26-30-4) Saturday at Madison Square Garden at 7 p.m. ET. We analyze the Sharks-Rangers sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.
Sharks at Rangers: Projected starting goalies
Aaron Dell vs. Henrik Lundqvist
Dell is 12-12-2 with a 2.89 goals against average and .909 save percentage overall. Dell has won three of his past five starts, and eight of his past 14. He has struggled a bit lately, coughing up 12 goals in his previous three starts, and he has dropped each of his past two outings against Eastern Conference teams.
King Henrik is expected to make the start after rookie Igor Shesterkin picked up a 5-2 road win over the Carolina Hurricanes Friday night. Lundqvist has been much better at home, going 8-4-1 with a 2.93 GAA and .9167 SV%, while he is 2-7-2 with a 3.32 GAA and .897 SV% on the road. He has struggled against Western Conference teams, going 3-7-1 in his 11 starts and 13 appearances.
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Sharks at Rangers: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 8:30 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Rangers 4, Sharks 2
Moneyline (ML)
The RANGERS (-167) pulled off the 5-2 road win in Carolina, cashing as +155 underdogs. Now, they have a quick turnaround, traveling from snowy Raleigh to New York to battle the Sharks (+135).
San Jose has dropped two straight games, including its first game on the Metro NYC road trip in New Jersey, 2-1, Thursday. The Sharks are starting to sell off assets heading into Monday’s trade deadline, as D Brenden Dillon has already been jettisoned. Expect more to follow. Morale is at a low for the Sharks, and the Rangers will squash them at MSG.
New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Rangers to win returns a profit of $6, while a $10 wager on the Sharks results in a profit of $13.50.
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
The RANGERS (-1.5, +155) are worth a roll of the dice on home ice behind King Henrik. New York is on a roll, and the Rangers are 6-2 in the past eight in the second end of a back-to-back situation, while cashing in four of the past five following a straight-up win.
Over/Under (O/U)
The lean is to the UNDER 6.5 (-150), even though the juice is a little high for my liking. If you foresee a lower-scoring game, the UNDER 5.5 (+140) alternative line might be attractive to you. I don’t think this will be a defensive slog, however, and a total of six goals looks good. In fact, a total of six goals (regular time) would cash +375 if my prediction of six total goals connects.
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