Many years, a Blackhawks-Rangers matchup would be must-see TV because the two Original Six franchises are usually Stanley Cup contenders. Alas, that’s not the case this season as the teams meet at Madison Square Garden on Thursday with the Rangers as short NHL betting favorites.
How to Bet Blackhawks vs Rangers NHL Odds & Game Info
“The energy, enthusiasm, compete, battle level… that’s what we’re missing. So let’s bring that tomorrow.”
Coach Colliton after today’s practice in New York City. #CHIvsNYR pic.twitter.com/FM7k6CKtgE — Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) 16 de enero de 2019
- When: Thursday, 7 PM ET
- Where: Madison Square Garden
- TV: NBC Sports Network
- Live Stream: NHL.tv
- Radio: TuneIn
- NHL Odds: New York Rangers -130 / Chicago Blackhawks +110 (Total 6.5)
STANLEY CUP POSSIBLE MATCHUPS
Season Series
Chicago goes for the season sweep as it beat the visiting Rangers 4-1 on Oct. 26 – that was back when the Blackhawks were a pretty good team. In fact, right after that win, the Hawks lost the next eight and they have never really recovered. Nick Schmaltz set up Alexandre Fortin’s tiebreaking goal in the second period for the victory – Schmaltz has since been traded.
Alex DeBrincat had a goal and an assist, and Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews also scored. Corey Crawford made 18 saves, but he’s out injured now. New York managed just one shot on goal in the third period. Pavel Buchnevich scored, and Henrik Lundqvist made 33 stops.
Why Bet on Chicago?
The Hawks enter on a four-game skid and were shelled on Monday in New Jersey 8-5. It was the most goals scored this season by the Devils. Chicago left goaltenders Cam Ward and Collin Delia defenseless most of the game in giving up at least seven goals for the fifth time this season. The eight goals against tied the most given up by the Blackhawks this season.
Ward was pulled after allowing six goals on 25 shots. With two minutes remaining in the second period, Ward was beaten by Kevin Rooney and showed his frustration by smashing his stick against the post. Ward is now 7-8-4 with a 3.99 goals-against-average and a .884 save percentage.
Patrick Kane scored two goals and assisted on two others in the los. He rifled a shot on a power play to beat Mackenzie Blackwood for his first of the night. He followed that up with his second of the night after the Devils jumped out to a 6-1 lead before getting an assist on Brent Seabrook’s goal just 42 seconds later and ending his night with another assist in the final frame. Kane has a six-game point streak (13 points) with 10 goals in his last nine games. The 30-year-old winger now sits at 27 goals and 64 points.
The Blackhawks controlled 60.8 percent of the even-strength shot attempts and generated 16 of their 20 scoring chances with Kane on the ice. He has already matched his goal total from last season and has done so in 35 fewer games. The Blackhawks rolled with defensemen for the first time this season, which is another reason why Kane set a career-high in ice time of 28:50.
Dylan Strome had two assists. He didn’t have a point in his previous three outing, but has 15 points in 24 games as a member of the Blackhawks. Strome came over in a trade from Arizona. Erik Gustafsson was benched for the third period of the loss. He was minus-2.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 2.96
- Shots: 31.33
- PP/PK Percentage: 17.69
Defense
- Goals: 3.73
- Shots: 34.92
- PP/PK Percentage: 26.76
Why Bet on NY Rangers?
The Rangers have just two wins in their eight games but are off a 6-2 win over Carolina on Tuesday. The Rangers extended their home winning streak against Carolina to 16 games, and the streak dates back to Jan. 5, 2011. The Blueshirts’ 16-game home winning streak against the Hurricanes is the longest home winning streak the Rangers have registered against one opponent in franchise history.
The Rangers have earned at least one point in eight of the last 10 home games, in 15 of the last 18 home games, and in 17 of 23 home games this season. The Blueshirts have posted a 12-6-5 record at MSG thus far in 2018-19.
Mika Zibanejad scored two goals and assisted on two others. The Swede’s four-point night made him the first Ranger to have four such outings in a single season since Marian Gaborik did the same during the 2010-11 season. The 25-year-old center is on a three-game point streak, improving his numbers to 14 goals and 41 points in 46 games this season.
Three different Rangers registered two goals (Tony DeAngelo, Pavel Buchnevich and Zibanejad). The last time the Blueshirts had three players each post a multi-goal game in the same contest was on Dec. 22, 1996 vs. Florida (Mark Messier, Alexei Kovalev, and Niklas Sundstrom).
Mats Zuccarello had a three-assist game on Tuesday. That’s his best showing of the 2018-19 campaign in terms of total points. It also put him on a three-game point streak. He has seven goals and 21 points in 33 contests this season. Jimmy Vesey registered an assist in the win. Vesey has only been held off the scoresheet once in his last five games. He is up to 11 goals and 24 points in 45 contests this season. He’s just four points away from his career-high, which he established in 79 games in 2017-18.
Henrik Lundqvist allowed two goals on 36 shots. He’s 13-12-7 on the year, with a 3.04 goals-against-average and a .908 save percentage. King Henrik will start this one as well.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 2.87
- Shots: 28.09
- PP/PK Percentage: 20.61
Defense
- Goals: 3.46
- Shots: 33.54
- PP/PK Percentage: 22.93
Blackhawks vs Rangers NHL Betting Trends
- Under is 7-3-1 in the last 11 meetings.
- Road team is 7-2 in the last 9 meetings.
- Chicago is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
- Chicago is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games
- The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago’s last 5 games
- NY is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games at home
- NY is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
- The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Rangers’s last 5 games at home
