The New York Rangers play host the New York Islanders on Thursday in a rivalry game that was one-sided back in November and should be again in the rematch. The Rangers are currently tied for second in the Metropolitan Division, while the Islanders are looking like they will miss the postseason for the first time since 2018.
Can the Rangers make it two in a row this season over the Islanders? Take a look below with our free NHL betting picks and predictions for Thursday.
Islanders vs Rangers odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
The Rangers opened as -140 favorites but trended up to as high as -160 before settling at -135. The Islanders opened at +120, and have stayed at that number. The total has not budged from its opening line of 5.5, with the under at -115 and the over at -105.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right until puck drop and be sure to check out the full NHL odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
Islanders vs Rangers predictions
Predictions made on 3/17/2022 at 3:00 p.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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Islanders vs Rangers game info
• Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
• Date: Thursday, March 17, 2022
• Puck drop: 7:00 p.m. ET
• TV: MSG+
Islanders vs Rangers betting preview
Key injuries
Islanders: None.
Rangers: Kaapo Kakko F (Out), Kevin Rooney C (Out), Sammy Blais F (Out).
Find our latest NHL injury reports.
Islanders vs Rangers head-to-head record
Islanders: 4-1-0 SU, 17 goals for.
Rangers: 1-4-0 SU, seven goals for.
Betting trend to know
The Rangers won on November 25, 2021, by three goals. Find more NHL betting trends for Islanders vs. Rangers.
Islanders vs Rangers picks and predictions
Our side and total predictions are based upon our analysis of the line and total in this game. Our best bet is our favorite pick across all markets.
Moneyline analysis
Both the Islanders and Rangers come into Thursday’s contest playing well, though the Islanders cooled a bit after losing 4-3 to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday in an eight-round shootout.
The Islanders, who had won three straight before the Washington loss, are trying to hold onto faint playoff hopes. With six weeks remaining in the season, they are sixth in the Metropolitan Division, eight points behind the fifth-place Columbus Blue Jackets.
Getting into the postseason isn’t out of the question, but the team’s hopes hinge on games like this one against the Rangers. That is bad news for the Islanders since their New York rival has been on an impressive stretch of its own.
The Rangers have won five of their last seven, including their last two against the Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks. Star forward Artemi Panarin had one goal and seven assists in those two games.
Another player the Islanders will have to stop is Chris Kreider, who is tied for second in the league with 39 goals. The team also got some reinforcements Wednesday in forward Frank Vatrano, whom the team acquired from Florida for a fourth-round pick. He will help bolster the bottom six of the offense.
The Islanders offense is 24th in goals per game at 2.70. They did have a bit of an offensive resurgence, scoring 22 goals in their last five games, but three of those were against teams that probably aren’t making the playoffs.
Prediction: Rangers ML (-135)
Over/Under analysis
Getting pucks in the net might be problematic for two reasons. The first is this is a rivalry game so expect a tight-checking, low-scoring, physical affair. There could be more penalties than goals, especially when the Rangers’ Jacob Trouba and the Islanders’ Zdeno Chara are among the Top 20 in penalty minutes.
Trouba is tied for ninth with 80 minutes, while Chara is tied for 18th with 73. The second reason is the previous meeting. The Rangers won 4-1 on the road in November. The total in that game was 5.5, just like it is for Thursday’s rematch. In the last five Ranger games, the over has gone 4-1.
For the Islanders, the Over has gone 4-0-1. Still, the Under is the play, especially considering the defenses of the Islanders and Rangers. The Rangers are third in the NHL in goals-against at 2.56. They are led by goalie Igor Shesterkin, who is having a phenomenal year and is a Vezina Trophy candidate. He is fourth in goals-against-average at 2.07 and first in save percentage at .938.
The Islanders netminder, Ilya Sorokin, has been equally as impressive. He is seventh in goals against at 2.33, and fifth in save percentage at .925.
Prediction: Under 5.5 (-115)
Best bet
Even though this will be a tight game, the Rangers should prevail by two goals. They will expose the Islanders as the slower, older squad. That might lead to silly penalties and the Rangers can definitely take advantage on the power play.
If the Islanders get into penalty trouble, Kreider might make them pay. He leads the league with 20 power-play goals. The Rangers rank second in the NHL on the power play, converting 10.42% of the time.
Mistakes have haunted the Islanders all season, especially against top-tiered teams. The Islanders had numerous turnovers against the Capitals, two of which led to Washington goals.
The Rangers are averaging three goals a game, and they've amassed 19 tallies in their last five, resulting in three victories. The puck line opened at +190 for Rangers -1.5 but is still great value at +185. They have the stronger, faster team, and will prove it Thursday night.
Pick: Rangers -1.5 (+185)
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