Two of the top teams in the league face off tonight as the New York Rangers host the Florida Panthers at Madison Square Garden. The NHL odds board has the Panthers as slight road favorites in this one.
The Rangers have lost two of their last three games following a 10-game winning streak while the Panthers have won 10 of their last 11 contests.
Which team will pick up two points in this potential playoff preview? Read on for our Panthers vs. Rangers NHL picks and predictions on Monday, March 4.
Panthers vs Rangers odds
Panthers vs Rangers predictions
The Florida Panthers have consistently been one of the best teams in the league this season. They haven’t lost more than two straight games in regulation and their longest losing streak is four games (two in overtime). They boast an impressive 41-16-4 record and are just as good on the road (21-8-2) as they are at home (20-8-2).
The Panthers’ record is no fluke either. They have the league’s third-best expected goals for share at 5-on-5 (55.36%) thanks to a fourth-best xGA/60 (2.28) and sixth-best xGF/60 (2.82).
Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has a .915 SV% on the season and has been even better over the past month-plus with a 9-1-0 record and just 15 goals allowed in his last 10 starts (.949 SV%).
On the flip side, the New York Rangers are more or less being carried by their special teams and goaltending. They rank in the Bottom 100 in expected goals share (48.28%) with the seventh-worst xGA/60 (2.71) and 12th-lowest xGF/60 (2.53).
The Rangers were hanging on by a thread towards the end of their 10-game winning streak as they beat the Devils and Flyers despite getting outshot 80-42 in those two games. That’s caught up to them with a loss in Columbus and a shootout loss in Toronto on Saturday night.
While a return home to Madison Square Garden will help, it may not be enough against a tough Panthers team. The Cats look like one of the few teams truly built for a Stanley Cup run, which makes sense after their Cinderella run to the Cup Final last year.
My best bet: Panthers moneyline (-120 at DraftKings)
Panthers vs Rangers same-game parlay
Panthers moneyline
Under 6.5
Alexis Lafreniere to record 3+ shots on goal
This should also be a lower-scoring game between two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has been incredible lately, as has the Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin.
We’re going to go a bit contrarian with our third leg here in backing Rangers forward Alexis Lafreniere to record 3+ shots on goal. The former first-overall pick is enjoying a breakout season and he’s been firing the puck on net a lot.
Lafreniere has gone Over 2.5 shots in seven straight and 13 of his last 14 games overall. Adding him to record 3+ shots on goal gets us from +189 all the way up to +428 on this SGP.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Panthers vs Rangers moneyline and Over/Under analysis
This matchup opened as a pick’em with the Blueshirts getting some early money. However, the Panthers are now between -120 (DraftKings) and -132 as road favorites. In turn, the Rangers are as high as +108 after opening at -110.
The total has also come down quite a bit from the opening 6.5. You could get Under 6.5 (-134) at opening but now the best price offered is Under 6 (-120 via BetMGM). FanDuel has the total down at 5.5 with Over 5.5 (-134) and Under 5.5 (+110).
This is the first half of a back-to-back set for the Panthers so keep an eye out for their starting goalie news. Bobrovsky has been great but backup Anthony Stolarz has an even better .924 SV% with a 7-2-1 record and .931 SV% in his last 10 starts.
Either way, the Panthers and the Under 6 are the plays tonight.
Panthers vs Rangers betting trend to know
The Panthers have won 66 of their last 101 games (+23.25 units / 14% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Panthers vs. Rangers.
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Panthers vs Rangers game info
| Location: | Madison Square Garden, New York, NY |
| Date: | Monday, March 4, 2024 |
| Puck drop: | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Bally Sports Florida, MSG |
Panthers vs Rangers latest injuries
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