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The New York Rangers are in a must-win spot on Friday night.
Mired in a 1-4 slump and dangerously close to slipping out of contention for the last wild-card spot, the Blueshirts can’t afford to cede any more ground to the Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, and Columbus Blue Jackets in the playoff race.
The good news is that the Blueshirts have a terrific opportunity to get right with their next two games coming against the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks.
The Rangers are a -160 favorite over the Ducks on Friday evening.
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Rangers vs. Ducks betting preview
The only thing that’s been working for the Rangers of late is the play of Igor Shesterkin in goal. The Russian netminder has posted a .915 save percentage and a 9.3 Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx) over his last 10 outings, but the Blueshirts are just 3-5-2 in that span.
While Shesterkin is doing his part, the rest of the team is going in the wrong direction.
The Blueshirts are not generating scoring chances at 5-on-5, the power play is sputtering, and they are giving up more high-danger scoring chances than any team in the NHL over their last 10 games.
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The Ducks are a mess defensively, but they are generating the third-most expected goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 over their last 10 contests.
This won’t be a walk in the park for a struggling Rangers defense.
Rangers vs. Ducks pick
Simply put, you just can’t trust the Rangers at this kind of price right now – no matter the opponent.
On paper, the Blueshirts should be able to handle the Ducks, but their defensive flaws put so much pressure on Shesterkin that if he’s off his game by just a touch, they are in big trouble.
This seems to be a case where there’s a “must-win tax” baked into the Rangers’ price, making the underdog an appealing play on Friday.
The Pick: Ducks +130
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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.