Rangers vs. Devils prediction, odds: NY aims for a 2nd straight surprise

New York smashed New Jersey in Game 1, leading to our Rangers vs. Devils prediction for Game 2.

The question is if the Devils will bounce back after an embarrassing playoff-opening performance.

Generally, I would target a series favorite off a Game 1 loss, but the Devils match up very poorly with the Rangers.

Odds are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook, current at the time of writing and subject to change.

Moneyline: Rangers (+112) vs. Devils (-134)

Spread: Rangers +1.5 (-225) vs. Devils -1.5 (+192)

Total: Over 5.5 (-120) | Under 5.5 (-102)

New York Rangers ML (+112) | Play to (+100)

The Rangers entered Game 1 with a great game plan and executed it perfectly.

The Rangers defended the middle of the ice, dished out hits, blocked shots and took the high-powered, up-tempo, flashy Devils offense completely out of rhythm. New Jersey looked disconnected and confused on the ice, and its youth showed.

The Rangers may have been outshot, but the two teams combined for an insignificant 51 shots. Meanwhile, the Rangers outhit the Devils (32-30) and recorded 23 blocked shots to the Devils’ 12.

The Rangers also played opportunistic hockey. Since acquiring Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko, New York has largely outperformed its advanced offensive metrics, and I think that’s because the Rangers have leaned into lower-volume, higher-efficiency scoring based on elite finishing.

It didn’t entirely come across in the box scores, but the Rangers perfectly executed that style on Tuesday.

The Rangers finished with five goals despite recording only 3.58 expected goals. But they also recorded only three giveaways to the Devils’ 13, controlling the puck and making the most of their opportunities.

The Rangers also dominated the power play, converting on two of their three chances while killing all four of the Devils’ chances.

Again, opportunistic hockey.

The icing on top came from Igor Shesterkin, who saved 27 of 28 unblocked shots in a showstopping performance. He’s the best goalie in the league when playing well, and he already looks locked in for a deep playoff run.

That bodes poorly for the Devils, as goaltending was their biggest disadvantage in the series. Vitek Vanecek looked out of sorts, recording -0.99 Goals Saved Above Expected in the four-goals-allowed, 18-save effort.

Ultimately, the Devils are too young, and I don’t see them adjusting to the Rangers’ mismatched style of play while simultaneously overcoming a massive goaltending disadvantage.

Meanwhile, it’s time to look at the Rangers in a different light. They’ve been one of the better teams in hockey since the trade deadline, winning 15 of 21 contests.

The Rangers are the better team, and I see a lopsided series incoming.

And that starts with a win on Thursday. I’ll take the Rangers as slight road underdogs and would play them to even money.