Rangers-Lightning Under is the Smart Play on Wednesday night
NEW YORK – The New York Rangers’ defensive prowess and a likely low-scoring affair make the Under 6 goals (-115, BetMGM) the best bet when they face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night. Despite recent offensive inconsistencies, the Rangers boast the league’s stingiest defense, and a clash with Andrei Vasilevskiy typically results in tightly contested games.
The Rangers returned to form defensively on Monday, blocking a shot and forcing a pair of turnovers. Currently, no NHL team allows fewer expected goals against per 60 minutes than the Rangers, at 2.12 according to MoneyPuck. While Igor Shesterkin, currently ranked No. 20 of 73 qualifying goaltenders in MoneyPuck’s GSAx, has faced some recent challenges, he remains strong in high-danger situations, stopping 88 percent of such shots - the 13th-best rate in the league. Shesterkin also has a strong track record against Tampa Bay,posting a 7-3-1 record with a 2.25 GAA and a .924 SV%.
This game pits Shesterkin against his fellow countryman and Vezina Trophy winner, Andrei Vasilevskiy, who is riding a hot streak, having won five of his past six starts while allowing just 2.00 goals and posting a.920+ save percentage.
Tho, the Rangers’ offense has been inconsistent, and their power play struggles on the road – converting at just a 16 percent rate – won’t be easily exploited against the Lightning’s top penalty kill. The most reliable aspect of the rangers’ game against defensively structured teams like Tampa Bay remains their defense.
THE PLAY: Under 6 (-115,BetMGM)
Sean Treppedi handicaps the NFL,NHL,MLB and college football for the New York Post,focusing on picks that reflect market value and mitigate risk through trend tracking.
