NY Rangers (9-8-2) at Columbus (11-7-1)
When: Friday, November 17th 2017
Where: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH
Time: 7:05 ET | TV: NHL Network
Opening Odds: Columbus -130/6
Open an Account at Bovada Sportsbook Now! Sign up at Bovada.lv to get up to a $250 Deposit Bonus and to bet all the Web’s best NHL Hockey odds and props!
The New York Rangers look to start another winning streak when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets for the third time this season on Friday night at Nationwide Arena. The Rangers saw their six-game winning streak come to a screeching halt on Wednesday in a 6-3 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. The Blue Jackets posted a 3-1 win in Columbus on October 13th, while New York returned the favor at home with a 5-3 victory on November 6th. Artemi Panarin scored in each of the first two meetings against the Rangers, but scoring has been hard to come by for the Blue Jackets lately with just five goals in the past four games. Part of the issue has been on the man-advantage where Columbus is 0-for-15 in their last six games. New York has played the second-fewest road games in the Eastern Conference, falling to 2-4-0 away from home after allowing five third-period goals in the loss to the Blackhawks. Former Blue Jackets F Rick Nash has four goals in the past three games for New York.
Defenseman Brendan Smith will return to the lineup on Friday after being a healthy scratch for six straight games. He was acquired at the trade deadline last season and signed to a four-year, $17.4 million contract in June. Itching to return, Smith has to strike a balance between playing urgent and not trying to overextend himself as he attempts to improve upon his poor start to the season. “If you’re grouchy or grumpy, you’re bringing down other people too,” Smith said. “I tried not to do that and I think I did a good job of staying positive.” Henrik Lundqvist, who won all six games during the winning streak before he was yanked in Wednesday’s loss, will make his eighth consecutive start.
[ad id=’52768′]
Columbus ended a four-game losing streak with back-to-back 2-1 overtime road victories over Detroit and Montreal thanks to Sergei Bobrovsky, who made a spectacular highlight-reel save in each contest. Forward Lukas Sedlak, expected to be out six weeks, practiced Thursday 3.5 weeks after injuring his ankle. Sedlak had 13 points and a +10 rating in 62 games last season with Columbus, but was off to a slow start before getting injured. The Blue Jackets are dead-last by a wide margin on the power play in the league at 9.3% – the next closest is Carolina at 14.3%.
I don’t care how good Bobrovsky is – if you can’t score, you can’t win. The Rangers have been playing well despite the dud they put up in Chicago the other night. I like New York on the road in this one. Look for Lundqvist to bounce back.
Pick: Rangers +125
- Rangers are 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Rangers are 4-0 in their last 4 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Rangers are 4-0 in their last 4 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Rangers are 6-1 in their last 7 overall.
- Rangers are 17-4 in their last 21 games following a loss of 3 or more goals.
- Rangers are 17-8 in their last 25 after allowing 5 goals or more in their previous game.
- Rangers are 2-6 in their last 8 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Rangers are 2-7 in their last 9 road games.
- Rangers are 1-4 in their last 5 vs. Metropolitan.
- Rangers are 1-4 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Rangers are 1-5 in their last 6 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Rangers are 0-6 in their last 6 Friday games.
- Blue Jackets are 20-7 in their last 27 games playing on 2 days rest.
- Blue Jackets are 19-7 in their last 26 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
- Blue Jackets are 5-2 in their last 7 when their opponent allows 5 goals or more in their previous game.
- Blue Jackets are 20-8 in their last 28 Friday games.
- Blue Jackets are 34-16 in their last 50 home games.
- Blue Jackets are 38-18 in their last 56 vs. a team with a losing record.
- Blue Jackets are 4-10 in their last 14 vs. Metropolitan.
- Over is 5-0 in Rangers last 5 overall.
- Over is 6-1 in Rangers last 7 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Over is 4-1 in Rangers last 5 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Over is 6-2 in Rangers last 8 road games.
- Over is 21-8-3 in Rangers last 32 after allowing 5 goals or more in their previous game.
- Over is 5-2 in Rangers last 7 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Over is 15-6-4 in Rangers last 25 following a loss of 3 or more goals.
- Over is 27-12-9 in Rangers last 48 vs. Metropolitan.
- Under is 4-0 in Blue Jackets last 4 overall.
- Under is 4-1 in Blue Jackets last 5 vs. Metropolitan.
- Under is 21-6-1 in Blue Jackets last 28 Friday games.
- Under is 6-2 in Blue Jackets last 8 games playing on 2 days rest.
- Over is 3-1-2 in Blue Jackets last 6 when their opponent allows 5 goals or more in their previous game.
- Under is 20-7-1 in Blue Jackets last 28 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Under is 19-7-1 in Blue Jackets last 27 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Over is 10-3 in the last 13 meetings.
- Rangers are 5-2 in the last 7 meetings in Columbus.
- Rangers are 10-4 in the last 14 meetings.
Trends courtesy of SportsOptions.com – an UltimateCapper.com partner
