Rangers vs. Stars prediction: NHL odds, picks, best bets for Tuesday
After 423 days of no action between the Rangers and Islanders, New York’s hockey rivalry returned to blows Sunday — quite literally and figuratively — in a high-octane thriller in front of 79,690 at MetLife Stadium.
It took 10 seconds into overtime for Artemi Panarin to seal the Rangers’ 6-5 win after they mounted a two-goal comeback with less than five minutes to play in regulation.
The Rangers snagged two points that didn’t feel like they were theirs to possess; the Islanders owned five-on-five play for the entirety of the matchup and outshot the Rangers, 41-38.
But alas, the Rangers fourth-ranked power play saved the day again, notching three goals in a penalty-ridden game, including a pair by Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad in the waning minutes of the third period to send the game to overtime.
It was a testament to the resilience of this Rangers group despite its advanced statistical shortcomings this season. That testament is reflected in the standings as the Rangers grip a six-point lead on the division.
The Blueshirts continue their push toward the spring with a Tuesday night tilt against the Dallas Stars.
(7 p.m. ET, ESPN+, MSG)
Dallas handed the Rangers their first dose of reality in a commanding 6-3 victory on Nov. 20. The Stars tallied six unanswered goals to end the Rangers’ 11-game point streak.
The third period was perhaps a candidate for the Rangers’ worst of the campaign; Dallas was relentless on the forecheck and scored five times in the final frame.
The Stars are no imposters. Their bulldog style of hockey is producing the highest scoring rate in the game. They maintain top-seven ranks in both expected goals rate and puck possession.
Peter DeBoer’s fine-tuned machine is spearheading the Central Division, having churned out points in 11 of its last 12 games, including a 4-3 shootout loss at Boston on Monday afternoon.
The Rangers are persevering through inconsistencies that reveal themselves every other night.
Their most recent technically sound display was a 2-0 win against the Flames last Monday, the only contest where they dictated all of play since their 5-2 win over the free-falling Ducks on Jan. 21.
Without their power play converting at a 26.6 percent rate, the Rangers would be having a drastically different season. It’s a cause for concern for the playoffs where five-on-five incompetence can’t be swept under the rug.
What these teams share are world-class goaltenders that have had below-expected numbers.
Jake Oettinger and Igor Shesterkin are both members of the 20-plus win club, yet they own save percentages that are flirting with .900.
Matt Duchene is having a bounce-back season with his latest team, leading the Stars with 55 points alongside franchise cornerstone Jason Robertson.
Even though the Rangers have lost a couple of key forwards to season-ending injuries, they remain supported with ample production from their top six.
Panarin is campaigning for MVP and Vincent Trocheck is en route to a career season.
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The Stars lose a bit of moneyline intrigue given this is the second leg of a back-to-back. New York refocuses its lens after the roller coaster ride at MetLife Stadium.
This game has convincing potential to emulate the first meeting with another splash of goal-scoring.
Pick: Over 6.5 goals (-104, FanDuel)
