Rangers vs. Flames prediction: NHL odds, picks, best betsThursday
So far, so good for the Rangers with regard to their four-game West Coast road swing, as they have earned regulation wins over the Kraken and Canucks. They look to keep their undefeated run going Thursday as they face off against the overachieving Calgary Flames. The Flames entered the year heavily favored to miss the playoffs for a third consecutive season with a betting total of 81.5 points.They have vastly outperformed oddsmakers’ expectations in posting a 10-6-3 record, which has them holding down the third playoff spot out of the Pacific Division. It’s hard to say if Calgary’s current process will continue to yield such strong results.
The goaltending tandem of Dan Vladar and Dustin Wolf has been surprisingly excellent thus far, achieving the league’s fourth-best save percentage. Unlike the Rangers, who rank first in team save percentage, nobody projected the Flames tandem to be a strength this season. Over the last 15 games, Calgary has been outshot by 3.13 shots per 60 and holds an expected goal share of 46.01 percent.If Flames goaltending starts to falter, it should expose their subpar defensive play and lead to significantly worse results. The Flames’ offensive core is led by aging veterans Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau, and they lack dynamic offensive talent. The Rangers, meanwhile, continue to achieve tremendous regular-season results with their combination of elite goaltending and clinical finishing talent year after year.
Their offensive upside could get a significant boost moving forward if Mika Zibanejad can find his game, and the former 39-goal scorer was excellent in Tuesday’s win in Vancouver. The Rangers are priced at +105 to win in regulation Thursday, offering bettors an excellent price to fade a Flames team that should return to Earth. THE PLAY: Rangers to win in regulation (+105, DraftKings)Nicholas Martin handicaps the NHL, MLB and NFL for the New York Post.He strives to include relevant game notes in articles to ...