Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers will look to slow down Steven Stamkos and the streaking Tampa Bay Lightning when they host their Eastern Conference counterparts in a mid-week matchup that gets underway on Wednesday night, live from Madison Square Garden in the Big Apple.
With New York looking to find the consistency that has eluded them all season long and Tampa Bay looking to extend its winning ways, let’s find out where the best betting value lies in this matchup.
Lightning vs Rangers NHL Lines, Expert Preview & Pick
First up: New York!
We face the Rangers tonight in the first half of the back-to-back. ⚡️#TBLvsNYR: https://t.co/NQ1qzDIxDe pic.twitter.com/MeQ14cFLgL — Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) 27 de febrero de 2019
- When: Wednesday February 27, 2019, 7:30 PM ET
- Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
- TV: MSG
- Radio: Tampa Bay / New York
- Live Stream: NHL.tv
- NHL Odds: NY Rangers +160 / Tampa Bay -185 / Total: 5.5
Why Bet on Tampa Bay?
Why should you consider betting on the Lightning in this contest? Well, because the Lightning are the better team at both ends of the ice (by far), not to mention the fact that they’re on fire, having won an impressive nine straight games.
Tampa Bay had a fight on their hands the last time out, but managed to get past the visiting LA Kings 4-3 in a shootout on Monday. Brayden Point, Anthony Cirelli and JT Miller all scored for the Lightning in regulation before Victor Hedman netted the game-winner in the shootout. Steven Stamkos added a pair of assists in the win.
“We have the group in here that’s confident that we can go out and perform when it matters and we’ve done it all season long,” Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos told reporters about his team’s lack of activity at the trade deadline. “It doesn’t change our mindset. We know the group now. Everyone can sleep easier and concentrate on these last 19 games and make sure we’re playing the way we want to be playing heading into the playoffs.”
The Lightning rank first in scoring by putting up 3.8 goals per game while also ranking an impressive fifth in goals allowed by limiting the opposition to just 2.6 goals per contest. Tampa Bay has also been absolutely phenomenal on the road and enter this affair with a eye-opening 22-6-2 mark away from the comfy confines of home this season.
Team Statistics
Offense- Goals: 3.94
- Shots: 32.35
- PP/PK Percentage: 29.81
- Goals: 2.63
- Shots: 32.06
- PP/PK Percentage: 14.29
Why Bet On The NY Rangers?
Why should you consider betting on the Rangers in this matchup? The best reasons would be because the Rangers are playing at home, they’re completely and utterly desperate and they’re ‘due’ for a win if one of their recent trends continues.
The Rangers have alternated wins and losses over their last 10 games, but hey, I guess New York is due for a win following their high-scoring 6-5 overtime loss against Washington on Sunday. Brady Skjei lit the lamp twice while Chris Kreider, Jimmy Vesey and Vladislav Namestnikov all added goals in the loss. Henrik Lundqvist gave up all six goals on 35 shots to take the loss.
The Rangers made a bunch of transactions prior to the trade deadline by moving Mats Zuccarello, Kevin Hayes and veteran defenseman Adam McQuaid for a bunch of picks and 22-year-old former Winnipeg forward Brendan Lemieux.
“We’ve added a lot of assets and it gives us some flexibility,” Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton told reporters. “A lot of opportunity for our team to get better, hopefully in a relatively quick fashion.”
New York averages just 2.8 goals per game (23rd) while allowing 3.3 goals per contest defensively (25th).
Team Statistics
Offense- Goals: 2.95
- Shots: 29.02
- PP/PK Percentage: 21.71
- Goals: 3.34
- Shots: 33.18
- PP/PK Percentage: 22.61
Lightning vs Rangers NHL Betting Trends
- Tampa Bay is 6-2 ATS in the last 8 games
- Tampa Bay is 5-0 SU in the last 5 games
- The total went UNDER in 6 of Tampa Bay’s last 8 games on the road
- NY Rangers is 7-1 ATS in the last 8 games
- NY Rangers is 6-12 SU in the last 18 games at home
- The total went OVER in 5 of NY Rangers’s last 7 games
Expert Analysis and Prediction for Lightning vs Rangers
I won’t waste any time beating around the bush NHL betting enthusiasts, simply because this pick is so easy that a child could make it. New York is mediocre at best at both ends of the ice while Tampa Bay is elite at both ends. The Lightning are on fire right now and the Rangers just can’t find any consistency.
More importantly, the Lightning are an incendiary 38-17 in their last 55 road games and 44-19 in their last 63 games as a road favorite. Conversely, the Rangers are 3-8 in their last 11 games as a home underdog and just 3-9 in their last dozen home dates against the Lightning. Keep it simple NHL bettors. Tampa Bay wins and covers the Puck Line with room to spare!
NHL Betting Pick: Tampa Bay 6 NY Rangers 3
