The NHL betting action goes on with a nine-game Sunday card, so we are taking a closer look at the Metropolitan Division showdown from Madison Square Garden in NYC to get you the best Flyers vs. Rangers betting pick.
New York opened as a huge home fave on DraftKings NY Sportsbook. The Rangers aim for their fourth straight victory over the Flyers after beating Phila in their previous two meetings in 2021-22, 4-1 and 3-2.
The Flyers have a tough weekend
The 21-35-11 Philadelphia Flyers hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night. Their Eastern Conference battle has been excluded from the analysis, and the slumping Flyers were looking to stop their three-game slide.
Last Tuesday, Philadelphia closed down its five-game road trip with a 4-1 defeat at Minnesota. The Flyers have dropped four games in that stretch, scoring 16 goals in the process and yielding 23 in a return.
Carter Hart (3.04 GAA; .909 SV%) was projected to guard the cage Saturday against the Maple Leafs, so we might see Martin Jones in the crease on Sunday. Jones has recorded only one win in his last five starts. He’s 8-14-3 with a 3.40 GAA and .900 save percentage in 2021-22.
The Rangers look to bounce back
The New York Rangers (44-20-5) dropped only three of their last 11 games overall. Two of those three losses came against the Islanders, while the other saw New Jersey rout the Rangers 7-4. Last Friday, the Rangers put an end to their four-game winning streak with a 3-0 defeat to the Islanders.
For the first time since February 26, the Rangers couldn’t find the back of the net. They took 27 shots toward the Islanders’ goalie, while Igor Shesterkin (2.13 GAA; .934 SV%) yielded three goals on just 18 shots. Shesterkin, who’s been terrific for most of the season, allowed five goals on 24 shots in that heavy loss at the New Jersey Devils.
Alexandar Georgiev (3.11 GAA; .892 SV%) is waiting for his chance after winning in four straight starts. He’s allowed 11 goals in that span, so we might see Shesterkin again. The Rangers boast the third-lowest scoring defense in the NHL, allowing only 2.59 goals per game.
Trends:
Philadelphia:
- 1-16 in the last 17 games on the road
- 3-14 in the last 17 games against the Metropolitan Division
NY Rangers:
- 8-3 in the last 11 games overall
- 5-2 in the last seven games against Philadelphia
Get the best sportsbook bonuses for NHL betting at these top NY sportsbooks.
Philadelphia Flyers vs. New York Rangers Pick
I have to look at the Rangers in this spot even though they’ve failed to beat the puckline in their last two outings as heavy favorites. They are a much better team than the Philadelphia Flyers, who have to deal with fatigue on the second night of a back-to-back set.
The Flyers are already out of playoff contention. Six of their last seven losses on the road have come by two or more goals. If you like player props, keep your eyes on Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider. The 30-year-old winger has scored a couple of goals and six assists in his last six appearances, while Kreider has accounted for five goals and four dishes over his previous six.
Pick: Take New York Rangers -1.5
The Total:
The Flyers’ defense is a mess, so the Rangers should score at least four goals in this one. I lean the over, hoping for the Flyers’ offense to score a couple against New York’s stout defense. Philadelphia has scored two or more goals in 11 of its last 14 outings.
The total has gone over in four of the Rangers’ last six games. New York has yielded two or more goals in six of its last eight outings on the home ice.
Pick: Go over