Rangers vs. Golden Knights Odds
| Rangers Odds | -140 |
| Golden Knights Odds | +116 |
| Over / Under | 5.5 -124o / +102u |
Here's everything you need to know about Rangers vs. Golden Knights on Thursday, Jan. 18 – our expert NHL prediction and pick.
The under has been a profitable bet when these teams square off, going 4-0-3 over the past seven meetings. Will we see another low-scoring affair on Thursday evening?
Let's dig into the NHL odds and make a Rangers vs. Golden Knights prediction and pick.
New York Rangers
Whenever goaltender Igor Shesterkin is tasked with guarding the cage, the under is in play. That will be the case on Thursday as Shesterkin looks to build upon his 18-10 record, 2.80 GAA and .906 SV%.
Entering this contest in particularly dominant form, he is 2-0 with a commanding .946 SV% and a 1.50 GAA over his past two starts. There was an average of five total goals scored per game over that stretch.
That success is likely to continue against the Knights. In his lone career start against Las Vegas, Shesterkin stopped 25-of-26 pucks (96.2%).
Making his job easier is the fact that Shesterkin plays behind one of the best two-way teams in hockey.
The Rangers rank in the top nine of the league in goals allowed per game, shots on goal allowed per game and penalty kill percentage.
Their defensive analytics are also strong as they rank in the top half of the league in expected goals against per 60 minutes (xGA/60) at 5-on-5. The same can't be said about the offense as it ranks in the bottom half of the league in expected goals for per 60 minutes (xGF/60) at 5-on-5.
Vegas Golden Knights
Offensive regression is looming for New York and could come to fruition against one of the toughest teams to score against. This season, Vegas ranks eighth in goals allowed per game.
A big part of that ranking is the play of the blue line. At 5-on-5, the Golden Knights rank 12th in xGA/60.
The other part of the equation is the goaltending, which has been solid all year. Adin Hill remains sidelined with an injury, but Logan Thompson has stepped up nicely in an elevated role.
Through 27 appearances in the crease, Thompson boasts a .908 SV% and a 2.70 GAA. He has been particularly dialed in recently, posting a 3-1 record with a .943 SV% and a 1.76 GAA over his past four starts.
There were five or fewer total goals scored in three of those four outings. Vegas' offense is another reason for these low-scoring games. The Golden Knights rank in the bottom half of the league in goals scored per game, power play percentage and shooting percentage.
(ESPN BET has officially launched launching its new sportsbook. Register with Action’s ESPN BET promo code TANBONUS for a welcome offer!
Rangers vs. Golden Knights
Betting Pick & Prediction
Making matters worse for the Knights' offense is the fact that superstar forward Jack Eichel has joined William Karlsson on Injured Reserve. Two of Vegas' top-three point producers are on the shelf, which means the under is going to be even more live moving forward.
This matchup should be a particularly good spot to lean on that thinking, especially with a shorthanded offense going against one of the world's best netminders in Shesterkin. Both teams are statistically and analytically proficient on defense, which checks out given the trend of low-scoring games when these teams meet.
We are catching plus money on Under 5.5 at FanDuel, a number I would play to +105.
Pick: Under 5.5 (+110 at FanDuel | Play to +105)
