Two teams with playoff aspirations are set to meet for the second time in two weeks, with the Calgary Flames hosting the New York Rangers.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
New York Rangers (+128) vs. Calgary Flames (-154) Total: 6.5 (O-112, U-108)The hottest team in the NHL will take the ice on Saturday night, with the Rangers posting seven straight victories entering their game against the Flames. New York has been on fire since they acquired Vladimir Tarasenko, which has helped lead to an 8-1-1 stretch over their past ten games. The Flames have been mediocre throughout that sample size, sitting at 4-4-2. When they met two weeks ago, the Rangers picked up a 5-4 victory at home.
It’s interesting to look at the odds for this matchup, with the Flames currently priced as -154 home favorites, while the Rangers are sitting at +128. The Rangers have been underdogs of late on their Western road swing, but with how they’re playing, it’s hard to say they aren’t been undervalued by the oddsmakers heading into tonight.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup tonight, the Rangers are expected to start their backup in Jaroslav Halak, while the Flames should counter with Jacob Markstrom. The Rangers netminder has posted an 8-6-1 record, paired with a .907 save percentage, while Markstrom is sitting at 14-13-7, along with a .891 save percentage. While Markstrom has the pedigree to be considered a top goalie, he certainly hasn’t performed like that this season.
Even with Halak in net, the Rangers have found their rhythm of late. This is one of the stronger teams in the NHL, but they aren’t being priced like that tonight, which means we’ll be happy to back the value of their +128 odds on the moneyline, even in night two of a back-to-back.
Best Bet: Rangers moneyline (+128)
The Flames have proven to be a middle of the pack team in terms of their overall statistics, while the Rangers sit in the top ten in goals scored and allowed per game. These teams already combined to score nine goals in their last meeting, but it’s reasonable to consider that could be an outlier. The Rangers have seen seven or more goals scored in each of their past five games, while the Flames have seen that transpire in four of their previous five. With the recent trends they’ve demonstrated and their matchup two weeks ago, we feel comfortable siding with the over 6.5 here at -112.
Best Bet: Over 6.5 (-112)
There’s a lot of talent on this Rangers squad, and we’re going to be targeting one specific player to light the lamp in this matchup. Chris Kreider has continued to be a significant weapon for the Rangers, tallying 24 goals in 52 games. Of course he’s not playing at the same pace he did last season, but he’s still finding ways to put the puck in the back of the net. Since we’re projecting a high-scoring matchup, there’s definite value here in backing Kreider to light the lamp at +198.
Best Prop: Chris Kreider to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+198)
