It’s the first meeting of the season between the New York Rangers (3-2-2) and the New York Islanders (2-4-0) at the UBS Arena on Wednesday night. Continue reading below to get our best Rangers vs Islanders Betting Picks and much more.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST, and the game will be broadcast on TNT nationally and TVAS regionally.
NHL Schedule
In making Rangers vs. Islanders betting picks, it’s important to know that Rangers backup Jaroslav Halak is expected to start between the pipes.
He’s 0-2 with a 4.03 goals-against average (GAA) and .852 save percentage but could be motivated to turn things around against his former team. Ilya Sorokin is slated to start for the Islanders.
He has a 2.83 GAA, and .908 save percentage. This is one of just three games on the NHL schedule tonight.
New York Rangers vs. New York Islanders
Matchup Info
- Venue: UBS Arena
- Start Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
- Where to Watch: TNT, TVAS
New York Rangers
The Rangers are sixth in the competitive Metropolitan Division through seven NHL games standings, but have been struggling as of late, so keep that in mind for Rangers vs. Islanders betting picks.
The Rangers won three of its first four games to start the season, but have since lost three of four, including two in a row to the Colorado Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Rangers played last night against the Avalanche. Igor Shesterkin was peppered between the pipes, stopping 42 of 44 shots in the shootout loss.
It’s highly unlikely he plays in back-to-back games, especially considering that shot volume.
Key Injuries
The Rangers are relatively healthy heading into this game as they’re only missing center Filip Chytil to an upper-body injury.
Chytil has three points through six games this season. He left during the Rangers game against the Blue Jackets on Sunday and was expected to be out for at least a week.
Betting Trends to Know
The Rangers are 3-4 against the spread (puckline) this season and, because they’ve struggled to score goals, the over has hit just twice in seven Rangers games.
However, the Rangers are coming off of a back-to-back and have their backup starting tonight, so we could be in for a high-scoring affair.
New York Islanders
The Islanders are coming into the Rangers vs Islanders betting picks game on a three-game slide and sit eighth in the Metropolitan Division.
The team has lost its last three NHL games by a combined score of 12-6 to Eastern Conference teams New Jersey, Tampa Bay, and Florida.
General Manager Lou Lamoriello was fairly inactive during the offseason, much to the ire of Islanders fans. The team doesn’t have much positive energy right now and a loss to the Rangers could make things worse.
Veteran Anders Lee leads the Islanders stats with seven points (4 goals, 3 assists) in six games. Mathew Barzal and Brock Nelson have six points each, while Noah Dobson is the team’s top-scoring blueliner with five points.
Key Injuries
The Islanders have the fortune of being the healthiest team in the league as of right now. New York has nobody on the NHL injury report and will ice its best lineup possible tonight at home.
Betting Trends to Know
Like the Rangers, the Islanders are 3-3 against the spread this season. They’ve also hit the over in three of six games. The Islanders are 2-2 against the spread at home and the over/under is also 2-2 in Islanders home games.
Rangers vs. Islanders Odds Breakdown
Moneyline
It’s an even split for the Islanders and Rangers odds on the moneyline. Both NHL teams are listed at -110.
Puckline
The Rangers are paying out -235 on the +1.5 puckline, while the Islanders are listed at +195 on the -1.5 puckline.
Over/Under
The over/under is set at 6, with the over and under paying out -110 each.
New York Rangers vs. New York Islanders Betting Picks
Moneyline
The Rangers should be motivated to rebound following a disappointing loss last night to the Avalanche. The Islanders, however, need a win just as badly and should have the edge in net.
NHL Pick: Islanders -110
Puckline
While the Islanders should win this game, it’s tough to imagine it being a multi-goal victory. The Battle of New York is always exciting and produces close games. Expect the same tonight.
NHL Pick: Rangers +1.5 (-235)
Over/Under
The over/under is a 50/50 split through six Islanders games, but this one has the potential to be high scoring.
The Rangers players will likely be somewhat fatigued tonight and Halak has struggled in his first two starts.
NHL Pick: Over -110
New York Rangers vs. New York Islanders Score Prediction
Final Score: Islanders win 4-3
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