New York Rangers vs. Anaheim Ducks Odds, Picks and Betting Preview
New York Rangers vs. Anaheim Ducks Odds, Picks and Betting Preview
On the first day of mobile sports betting in New York, residents of the Empire State have the opportunity to wager on their famous NHL franchise. The New York Rangers will look to continue what has been a terrific first two months of play when they take on the Anaheim Ducks tonight. While New York came into the season with high hopes, Anaheim has certainly exceeded preseason expectations. The NHL betting odds view this as a fairly even matchup overall. Oddsmakers have given a slight edge to the visitors ahead of this Rangers vs. Ducks cross-conference clash.
Rangers vs. Ducks NHL Betting Odds, Picks, and Preview
New York Rangers (22-9-4, 48 pts) vs. Anaheim Ducks (18-11-7, 43 pts) Date: Saturday, January 8, 2021 Start Time: 10 PM EST Location: Honda Center — Anaheim, CA TV Coverage: MSG 2
New York Rangers Preview
Tonight’s NHL betting matchup marks the second of a four-game west coast road trip for the Rangers. New York had a three-game winning streak snapped on Thursday night courtesy of a 5-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. Chris Kreider scored the lone goal in that game while backup goaltender Alexander Georgiev struggled. He posted an .857 save percentage allowing five goals on 35 shots faced. With starter Igor Shesterkin in virus protocols, Georgiev figures to draw a third consecutive start against the Ducks on Saturday. On the season overall, he has been much better than Thursday’s showing in Las Vegas. Georgiev has surrendered two goals or less in six of his last eight starts.
No matter who has been minding the net, defense has been New York’s calling card so far this season. 89 total goals allowed coming into the day is tied for the seventh-fewest of any team. The Rangers rank even better defensively when one accounts for games played. An average of 2.54 goals allowed per contest ranks among the top-five scoring defenses in the NHL.
Anaheim Ducks Preview
The Ducks will be in action tonight for the first time since Tuesday. This was due to a scheduled Thursday night home game being postponed due to virus issues. Prior to the extended three-day layoff, Anaheim successfully snapped a four-game losing skid with a 4-1 home win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Despite only having a +12 goal differential on the season to date, the Ducks sit in second place in the Pacific Division standings entering Saturday’s NHL betting matchup.
Troy Terry stole the headlines with his hat trick performance. Sonny Milano was responsible for the other Ducks’ goal while Jamie Drysdale had two assists. Much like the Rangers, sound defensive play has been the key to Anaheim’s surprising early-season success. Anaheim’s 2.67 goals allowed per game ranks ninth among the 32 NHL teams. Goaltender John Gibson has a .917 save percentage to date and was brilliant in Tuesday’s win, stopping 28 of 29 shots faced. However, he was among the numerous Ducks players to land in virus protocols on Thursday. Backup Anthony Stolarz will start Saturday’s game as a result.
Rangers vs. Ducks Odds and Line Movement
The following table contains the best Rangers vs. Ducks NHL betting odds and lines available in the market.
| Team | Moneyline | ML Implied Probability | Puck Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rangers | -115 | 53.5% | -1 (+175) | O 5.5 (-108) |
| Ducks | +102 | 49.5% | +1 (-220) | U 5.5 (-105) |
Line moves have been very sparse for this matchup thus far. It does seem that the NHL betting market is trending towards backing the Ducks at a plus-money price on the moneyline after an initial surge towards New York immediately after opening. There has been no significant action or adjustments on the total. The current over/under line of 5.5 matches the opening number posted by the oddsmakers.
Current moneyline odds for this NHL matchup give the Rangers a 53.5% chance to win the game outright. At the time of writing, 62% of all bets are on New York to win as short road favorites. Below is a breakdown of which sportsbooks are currently offering the best odds on each of the major game wagers to help bettors obtain the best value on their Rangers vs. Ducks NHL betting picks.
Moneyline Odds
Rangers: (-115) — DraftKings | Ducks: (+102) — FanDuel
Puck Line Odds
Rangers: -1 (+175) — Unibet | Ducks: +1 (-220) — Unibet
Total Odds
Over: 5.5 (-108) — Unibet | Under: 5.5 (-105) — PointsBet
Henry has had a passion for sports that few can match for as long as he can remember. What started out as a five-year-old taking interest in the New York Jets and their green jerseys has since become a full-fledged career as a writer and sports betting analyst. His coverage primarily includes the NFL, MLB, NBA, NASCAR, college football, and college basketball. In 2020, he ranked among the top-10 most accurate experts ATS in the BettingPros NFL season contest. You can follow Henry’s sports work on Twitter and other social media platforms @HankTimeSports.