The NHL betting action continues Thursday, April 21, 2022, with the Metropolitan Division showdown at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, so we bring you the best Rangers vs. Islanders betting pick, tips, and odds.
The NY city rivals close down their four-game regular-season set, and the Islanders search for their third consecutive victory over the Rangers. According to PointsBet NY Sportsbook, the Rangers are -130 moneyline favorites, while the Islanders are +118 home dogs with a total of 5.5 goals.
The Rangers won six of their last seven games                Â
The New York Rangers (50-21-6) are riding a three-game winning streak following a 3-0 home victory to the Winnipeg Jets. Also, it was their third consecutive shutout, as the Rangers blanked Detroit 4-0 and Philadelphia 4-0 in the process.
Igor Shesterkin posted 31 stops against the Jets, improving to 36-11-4 on the season. The 26-year-old goaltender registered his sixth shutout in 2021-22. He boasts a 2.01 GAA and .936 save percentage. Center Ryan Strome accounted for a couple of goals against Winnipeg, while Artemi Panarin made two dishes.
The Rangers are tied with the Carolina Hurricanes for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division and the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. New York tallies 3.04 goals per contest (tied-16th in the NHL) and surrenders only 2.44 in a return (tied-1st).
The Islanders lost four of their last six       Â
The New York Islanders (35-31-10) are coming off a tough 3-2 overtime defeat to the mighty Florida Panthers this past Tuesday. They battled bravely against the top-ranked team in the Eastern Conference but couldn’t avoid their second straight loss.
The Islanders blew a 2-1 third-period lead against the Panthers. Sebastian Aho and Jean-Gabriel Pageau found the back of the net for New York, while Ilya Sorokin (2.32 GAA; .927 SV%) posted 39 saves. The 26-year-old netminder fell to 25-16-8 on the season, and Semyon Varlamov (9-15-2; 2.86 GAA; .914 SV%) is projected to patrol the crease against the Rangers on Thursday.
With six games to go, the Islanders have nothing to play for. They are already eliminated from playoff contention. The Islanders score 2.74 goals per game (25th in the league) and surrender 2.72 in a return (6th).
Trends:
NY Rangers:
- 6-1 in the last seven games overall
- 7-1 in the last seven games on the road
NY Islanders:
- 2-4 in the last six games overall
- 5-15 in the last 20 outings as underdogs
New York Rangers vs. New York Islanders Pick
The Rangers have a lot to play for, so I’m expecting them to continue with a strong performance in a tough road matchup with the Islanders, who have played well lately despite their slim playoff chances. Now, the Islanders are eliminated, and the Rangers will certainly have a much bigger motive to win than their rivals.
Both teams lean on a stout defense, while the Rangers are arguably a much better offensive team than the Islanders. Look after Artemi Panarin to make the difference, as he’s notched 12 points over his last eight outings.
Pick: Take New York Rangers at -130
The Total:
The Rangers have recorded three straight shutouts. They are tied with Carolina for the lowest-scoring defense in the NHL, and the Rangers shouldn’t have too many problems slowing down the Islanders’ offense.
On the other side of the ice, I’m looking for the Islanders to take a cautious approach. Hereof, betting on the under seems like a logical move. The total has gone under in ten of the last 11 encounters between the Rangers and Islanders, including the previous five. Pick: Go under 5.5 goals at -115
