New York Rangers vs Boston Bruins Predictions, Odds, Picks

• The New York Rangers are on a four-game winning streak.
• The Boston Bruins have lost four of their last six games.
• The Rangers are 2-0-0 against the Bruins this season.

New York Rangers vs Boston Bruins Odds

Odds taken from DraftKings Sportsbook.

New York Rangers vs Boston Bruins Predictions and Picks

The New York Rangers will battle with the Boston Bruins for the third time this season. The Rangers are undefeated against the Bruins this season and beat them 2-1 in overtime in their last game. The game went to a shootout, and the Rangers won in nine rounds.

Both of these teams have clinched playoff spots but are looking for more. The Bruins will move closer to third place in the Atlantic Division with a win, and the Rangers will have sole possession of first place in the Metropolitan Division with a victory.

The New York Rangers have been strong all season but have really stepped up their game over the last month. Since March 25, they have only lost three of their 14 games.

The Rangers have some of the NHL’s best players in wingers Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider, center Mika Zibanejad, and defenseman Adam Fox. Panarin is one of the best passers in the league and averages over one assist per game, Kreider is an elite goal scorer and has scored 51 times this season, Zibanejad passes and scores well and has 79 points, and Fox is one of the best defensemen in the league and an excellent passer with 61 assists.

The Rangers only allow 2.45 goals per game and that is largely in part to goaltender Igor Shesterkin. Shesterkin is arguably the top netminder in the league and has the highest save percentage (.936) and least goals allowed per game (2.01).

The Boston Bruins are not as elite as the Rangers but are a hard team to beat. They have spent the majority of the season in a playoff spot and recently clinched one.

The Bruins have a squad of veterans and are led by wingers Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, and Taylor Hall as well as center Patrice Bergeron. Marchand is a 33-year-old right winger that scores and passes well; he is also a workhorse that plays over 19 minutes a game. David Pastrnak is not a veteran but a gifted scorer with 38 goals. He will not be playing tonight, but he is dangerous for the Bruins when he is healthy. Taylor Hall is a 30-year-old right winger with 39 assists, and Patrice Bergeron is a 36-year-old center with a +/- of 28.

Boston has an interesting goaltending situation. They use the platoon of Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark. Neither of these goalies are dominant; instead, they are both mediocre and may struggle to make big saves in the playoffs. Unless one of them exceeds expectations in the playoffs, the Bruins may struggle in net.

The Rangers have a more star-studded team and have already beat the Bruins twice this season. I expect them to complete the series sweep in this game.

Pick:

New York Rangers beat Boston Bruins 4-2. New York Rangers cover, Over 5.5 goals.

Why Might the New York Rangers Win?

The New York Rangers won their last four games and will win this game if they limit the Bruins shots and draw penalties.

The Bruins shoot an absurd 36.2 shots per game. Since they shoot that much, they have created a high-scoring offense that averages over three goals a game. The Rangers defensemen need to limit the Bruins shooting and make life easier for whoever is in net.

The Rangers have a top power-play unit that converts on 26.2 % of their power-plays. They need to draw penalties and get that power-play unit on the ice. They can build a lead through power-play goals.

Why Might the Boston Bruins Win?

The Boston Bruins have a difficult matchup in the Rangers but can win if they get second-chance shots and play strong defense.

The Bruins will likely be going up against Igor Shesterkin in net for the Rangers. Shesterkin is a dominant goalie, so the Bruins need to get second-chance shots near the net. If they do, they may be able to keep the game close.

Everyone knows the Bruins can score. However, the real test will be on defense. The Bruins allow almost 2.7 goals per game. They need to play exceptional defense against this offensively talented Rangers team. It will be the only way they keep the game close.

Rangers Key Player: (LW) Artemi Panarin

Artemi Panarin has only scored one goal in the last four games, but he is coming off a four-assist game against the New York Islanders.

Panarin does not need to do anything fancy in this game. He just needs to keep on looking for his teammates and making the right pass.

Bruins Key Player: (G) Jeremy Swayman

I do not usually pick goaltenders as key players, but this game is going to be different. The Rangers score over three goals a game, and the Bruins have a tendency to give up a lot of goals. Enter Jeremy Swayman

Swayman has started the last five games for the Bruins and given up 11 goals in the process. He needs to be on his A game and be a brick wall in this game.

How to Watch New York Rangers vs Boston Bruins