The New York Rangers have been one of the NHL’s biggest stories over the past month. First, they trade away their captain, Jacob Trouba. Most recently, they dealt away their former second-overall pick from 2019 in Kaapo Kakko. The Rangers have lost their identity, and it shows in their 3-11-0 record over their past 14 games.
Tonight, the Rangers take on a Dallas Stars team that is coming off a loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Dallas is seeking to get back in the win column, and the Rangers might be the perfect opponent to do that against, per my Rangers vs. Stars predictions and NHL picks for Friday, December 20.
Rangers vs Stars prediction
My best bet
Stars to win in regulation (-120 at FanDuel)
My analysis
The Dallas Stars have had a bit of an interesting season. They’ve been considered one of the elite Stanley Cup odds contenders, but they currently sit in third place of the Central Division.
Most of Dallas’ success this season has come on home ice, where they’re skating to a record of 13-4-0. Over their last 10 games, the Stars have been averaging just 2.90 goals per game. But when it comes to playing at home, they have been much better, scoring 3.47 goals per contest.
Jamie Benn and Jason Robertson have been leading the way points-wise for the Stars lately with nine and eight, respectively. But the two of them have only scored two goals each in this span, so the Stars need some more scoring from their top guys.
Luckily for Dallas, the New York Rangers offense has been struggling even more than theirs. New York has only scored seven goals in their last five games, but to cut them some slack, they have been missing their best offensive player for the last two games in Artemi Panarin. The Rangers are coming off a game against the Nashville Predators where they put up 25 shots on goal but were shut out by Juuse Saros.
There aren’t many positives to talk about regarding the Rangers. This 14-game stretch has been rough, but their last five games have been a complete and utter disaster. They have scored just one power-play goal on 11 attempts and can’t get anything cooking. Adam Fox is leading the team in points in the last five games with one goal and two assists as this forward group has been hushed.
It won’t get any easier for the Rangers forwards tonight as they will go up against Jake Oettinger, who is 16-8-0 this season with a .909 save percentage and a 2.43 goals against average.
Oettinger gets some help from the group in front of him, as the Stars only give up 10.2 high-danger chances against at 5-on-5 and allow 26.6 shots against per game (fifth best in the NHL), but Oettinger also boasts a +3.4 goals saved above expected. Oettinger was pulled in his last game but is expected to start tonight. He should be highly motivated.
Rangers vs Stars same-game parlay (SGP)
Stars to win in regulation
Jason Robertson 3+ shots on goal
Under 5.5
Robertson hasn’t had the best start to this season, with only seven goals in 31 games, but he has been starting to pick up his play as of late. Robertson has averaged 2.99 shots per game over his career, but this season he is averaging 2.33 shots on net each contest.
So why take him to get 3+ shots on goal here? Because the Rangers have allowed the most shots against in the NHL (32.1) per game over their last 14 games. Robertson should get some looks at the net tonight.
Oettinger will more than likely face Igor Shesterkin tonight, which makes for a good goalie showdown. Oettinger allowed four goals against on 12 shots in his last outing, but that was a very uncharacteristic performance. In his four starts prior to that game, Oettinger had authored a .929 save percentage and a 1.74 goals against average.
Shesterkin is not the guy to blame for how the Rangers have been playing lately. His numbers haven’t been the best, but he’s not getting much help from the guys in front of him. In his last 10 starts, he is 2-8-0 but has a .904 SV% in that span.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
Rangers vs Stars odds
Rangers vs Stars live odds
Rangers vs Stars opening odds
- Puck line: New York +1.5 (-170) | Dallas -1.5 (+138)
- Moneyline: New York +158 | Dallas -192
- Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-128) | Under 5.5 (+104)
Rangers vs Stars trend
The Rangers have lost 11 of their last 14 games in regulation. Find more NHL betting trends for Rangers vs. Stars.
How to watch Rangers vs Stars
| Location: | American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX |
| Date: | Friday, 12-20-2024 |
| Puck drop: | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | MSG, Victory+ |
Rangers vs Stars latest injuries
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