The New York Rangers have struggled in the last two games and it might be tough for them to get out of this funk going up against a team as good as the Colorado Avalanche.
The Avalanche haven’t necessarily been so dominant themselves, but there is going to be a little extra motivation on their side tonight as their goaltender, Alexandar Georgiev returns to Madison Square Garden for the first time as a member of the opposition.
This matchup has a lot of offensive talent between both sides and they are two of the most elite goal-scoring teams in the league. We break down what should be a fun one with our free NHL betting picks and predictions.
Avalanche vs Rangers best odds
Avalanche vs Rangers picks and predictions
The Colorado Avalanche might be losers in two of their last three games, but this game against the New York Rangers has a much different feel to it. The last time the Avalanche paid a visit to Madison Square Garden, they put up a touchdown against the Rangers. Granted, Igor Shesterkin wasn’t in goal for that game, but Colorado knows they need to crank it up an extra notch when they’re in New York.
Even with Shesterkin between the pipes for the Rangers, the Avalanche are still generating offense at an incredible rate. The Avs are currently getting the second most scoring chances per game, averaging 12.60 chances and scoring 3.67 goals per game.
The Rangers have a relatively similar offense to the Avs, just a tad less explosive. The Rangers are averaging 3.33 goals per game, but they have a 53.05% expected goals rating. New York’s offense relies heavily on their man-advantage unit as the Rangers have the 11th-best power play in the league, converting at 26.1%. Even though New York's power play has been incredible, it has quite literally been half as good as Colorado’s.
The Avs are currently converting at a 52.9% rate, which is almost unheard of. For context, the Minnesota Wild are second in PP% but have only converted at a 36.36% clip.
This game has so much offensive talent on both sides that it doesn’t even matter who is playing in the blue paint. I LOVE the Over on this game and I think it's going to be must-watch television.
My best bet: Over 6.5 (-115 at BetMGM)
Looking to do some NHL betting? Here are two of the best bonuses* available:
A) New users at FanDuel can get a no-sweat first bet of up to $1,000! Sign Up Now
B) New users at BetMGM can win $200 on a $10 bet if any team scores! Sign Up Now
*Eligible USA locations only. Also, check out our full list of best sportsbook promotions for 2022.
Avalanche vs Rangers moneyline analysis
It’s been a rough little stretch for the Rangers with a couple of bad losses on home ice to much weaker opponents. On Thursday night, the Rangers lost in overtime against the San Jose Sharks, who were 0-5 before descending on MSG. They followed that up with an even worse performance against the Columbus Blue Jackets and were horrendous defensively. The Blue Jackets only had 1.95 expected goals, but they scored five on Jaroslav Halak.
The Avalanche are coming off a win in Vegas, but they got outplayed by the Golden Knights in that game. That being said, good teams always find a way to win and they were able to do just that on Saturday night.
The Rangers typically have the special teams advantage against most of their opponents, but they might be outmatched against the Avalanche. Colorado’s penalty kill has not been strong, but their power play has been ridiculous, going 9-for-17 to start the season and they will be going up against a Rangers team that has killed just 77.8% of penalties. This might be the difference along with the extra motivation to win for Alexandar Georgiev in his return to New York.
Avalanche vs Rangers Over/Under analysis
Both teams rank in the top half of the league when it comes to offensive production, but we should definitely take a deep dive into how Shesterkin and Georgiev have been playing.
Shesterkin is 3-0-1 on the season with a .901 SV% and a 2.75 GAA with a +1.0 GSAx. These numbers are decent, but nowhere near how good he was last season. Georgiev is off to a solid start with his new team as he is skating to a 3-0-1 record as well with a .908 SV% and a 2.76 GAA along with a +0.2 GSAx.
Neither netminder has been lights-out, which gives me much more confidence in taking the Over. Both teams are elite offensively and that will be the story in this game.
Avalanche vs Rangers betting trend to know
The Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings in New York. Find more NHL betting trends for Avalanche vs Rangers.
Avalanche vs Rangers game info
| Location: | Madison Square Garden, New York, NY |
| Date: | Tuesday, October 25, 2022 |
| Puck drop: | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | ESPN |
