The Rangers will finish off their annual trip to California tonight in a battle against the slumping Sharks, a team they beat 7-4 way back in the third game of the season and that’s lost six straight games. New York opened as a slight underdog but with a road record of 27-11 straight up this season, the Blueshirts will more than likely be the favorite by the time the puck drops.
It’s all falling apart for the Sharks at the absolute worst time. In a plot similar to that of the movie Jaws, the Sharks are getting blown out of the water after destroying everything in their path for most of the season. They’re coming off back-to-back embarrassments to end a nightmare road trip and if they keep playing like they have, they could easily go from having the Pacific Division locked up to qualifying for the playoffs as the eighth-seeded, second wild-card team.
Henrik Lundqvist, who returned from injury in the Rangers’ last outing, was not sharp against the Ducks and he could take a seat in favor of Antti Raanta tonight. The Finn was excellent in King Henrik’s absence, posting a .927 save percentage in nine March starts, and with his career .935 save percentage against the Sharks, he should get the nod.
If the Rangers close as the favorite, I would take a look at their puckline value. New York has an 18-7 ATS record in its last 25 road games and could be a nice bet against the floundering Sharks.
Sportsbook Odds & Computer Pick
The New York Rangers were listed as 109 underdogs on the NHL hockey moneyline earlier at Sportsbook. The over under total was set at 5 before betting started earlier on Tuesday at Sportsbook.
Odds Shark score prediction models pick a 4-1.3 result in favor of the Rangers today. View the computer score prediction and who will win the pick on the moneyline for all upcoming NHL matchups here.
New York Rangers vs San Jose Sharks Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
The San Jose Sharks are 42-26-7 so far on the season. The New York Rangers, meanwhile, are 46-26-4. OVER/UNDER betting fans have seen San Jose go 19-34-22 and the Rangers go 37-33-6 on the totals. Stay Informed: follow us on Twitter for odds specials, betting line moves and San Jose vs New York injuries news.
The NHL Power Rankings show a disparity between these teams, with the San Jose Sharks rated this week at No. 18 and the New York Rangers sitting at No. 24.
Statistical Matchup
The game also pits San Jose's No. 18-ranked offense, averaging 2.68 goals per game, against a Rangers defense that ranks No. 11 at 2.64 goals allowed. The Sharks power play is averaging 16.52% while the Rangers defense kills off 79.43% of their penalties.
Recent Outings Betting Recap
New York lost its last outing, a 6-3 result against the Ducks on March 26. Bettors who backed the Ducks at -127 on the moneyline won on the day, and the total score (9) sent OVER bettors to the payout window.
San Jose was a 7-2 loser in its last match on the road against the Predators. They lost as +115 underdogs, while the total score of 9 made Sportsbooks of OVER bettors.
Next Betting Matchups
New York home to Pittsburgh, Friday, March 31st
San Jose at Edmonton, Thursday, March 30th