Don’t look now, but the New York Rangers are surging in the NHL’s East Division. With 52 points, they are just four games out of fourth place in the division — and a playoff spot. They trail the Bruins by four points (although the Bruins have two games in hand). The Blueshirts have gone 7-1-2 in their last ten and have a division-best +33 goal differential, suggesting that their offense is ready to take some prisoners. In the Central Division, Dallas is surging, with a 6-2-2 record in their last 10 games and now just three points back of Nashville for fourth place — and with three games in hand. Dallas has lost 12 games in overtime, including six shootout losses, suggesting how different this season could already have been with some consistent goaltending and more timely scoring.
Let’s look at this week’s top online NHL betting matchups from the ice.
NHL News: Must-Bet Games This Week
Monday, April 19
Detroit at Dallas
(7:30 pm ET, NBC Sports)
The Red Wings are in eighth place in the Central Division, but they had a recent three-game winning streak until they got blanked at home by the Chicago Blackhawks, 4-0, on Saturday. Jonathan Bernier had 23 saves for the Red Wings, but they could not mount anything on offense, even with the man advantage. They went 0 of 6 on the power play, including a four-minute man advantage in the first period and a 1:07 stretch of 5-on-3 advantage in the third period.
Next up is a trip to Dallas, where the Stars seem to have developed a bit of consistency. In their last two games, the Stars walloped the Columbus Blue Jackets by a combined score of 9-2. In their 5-1 win on Saturday, the team relied on a four-goal second period to blow the game open. Joe Pavelski, Denis Gurianov, Jamie Benn, Esa Lindell, and John Klingberg all scored, and rookie Jake Oettinger stopped 20 shots. Can the Stars keep the offense rolling with Detroit in town?
Final Prediction:
Stars win, 3-1.
Tuesday, April 20
N.Y. Rangers at N.Y. Islanders
(7:00 pm ET)
The Rangers have won four in a row — all against the New Jersey Devils, thanks to the compressed nature of the 2020-21 NHL schedule. Those four wins have come by a combined score of 18-6, including a 5-3 win on Sunday. In that game, which was the closest of the four, Mika Zibanejad got the game-winning goal with three minutes left in the third period, scoring in the power play. New York had jumped out to a 3-0 lead only to see the Devils come all the way back to tie. In their last 20 games, the Rangers are now 13-4-3.
The Rangers remain close to home with a trip across town to face the Islanders, who got swept in a two-game set in Boston but then went to Philadelphia on Sunday, collecting a 1-0 win. The Isles have scored just two goals since April 11 (when they beat these same Rangers, 3-2). In their win over the Flyers, the Islanders’ game-winner was a flue, as Nick Leddy made a pass that Flyers’ defenseman Travis Sanheim deflected between the legs of his goalie. The Islanders now sit in second place in the East, but that offense needs to turn things up.
Final Prediction:
Rangers win, 2-1
Toronto at Vancouver
(9:00 pm ET)
Toronto has seen their lead in the North Division drop to four points after losing four in a row (but taking a point in two of those losses). That misery continued on Sunday in Vancouver, where they lost, 3-2, in overtime. Vancouver was playing for the first time since March 24 because of an extended COVID-19 outbreak, and Bo Harvat scored two goals for the Canucks, including the game-winner, 1:19 into overtime. Nils Hoglander had the team’s third goal, and Braden Holtby stopped 37 shots.
William Nylander had the 100th goal of his career for Toronto in the loss, and Auston Matthew scored his 33rd goal (which leads the NHL) of the season after returning from a lingering wrist injury. Jack Campbell made 21 saves, and John Tavares added two assists. Can the Leafs turn things around as they skate with the Canucks again?
Final Prediction:
Toronto wins, 3-2
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