PREMIUM
Rogers' PUCK LINE PUNISHER >> SIZZLING 91-68-1 ALL Sports Run!
(NHL) NY Rangers vs. Florida,
Point Spread: 1.50 | -140.00 NY Rangers (Away)
Result: Win
Point Spread: 1.50 | -140.00 NY Rangers (Away)
Result: Win
The set-up: The 30-32-6 NY Rangers have 66 points and find themselves last in the Metropolitan Division, 10 points out of the East's final wild card spot. Meanwhile, the Florida Panthers are 14-3-1 over their last 18 games and at 33-25-7, the team's 73 points now have them just three points shy of that final wild card spot. The Panthers will host the Rangers on Saturday, looking to record a franchise-record eighth straight home win .
NY Rangers: After earning 102 points last season, New York's fortunes have been far from very positive this season. The Rangers have made the playoffs in each of the past seven seasons but appear destined to miss out at this year. They have lost nine of their past 12 games and raised the white flag of surrender last month when they traded many of their stars in exchange for draft picks, young players and hope for the future. Among the players traded away were star defenseman Ryan McDonagh and top-six forwards J.T. Miller, Michael Grabner and Rick Nash. However, Ryan Spooner is making quite the impression as he continued his torrid stretch on Thursday with a goal and two assists. He has 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in six games since being acquired from Boston on Feb. 25. Fellow forward Kevin Hayes scored and set up a goal versus the Lightning in a 5-3 Thursday loss, boosting his career-high goal total to 19 this season and his point total to 14 (eight goals, six assists) in his past 14 games.
Florida: The Panthers have sizzled since the All-Star break. Roberto Luongo turned aside all 40 shots he faced in Thursday's 5-0 romp over Montreal to improve his save percentage to .938 in his last 19 games. Evgenii Dadonov and fellow forward Vincent Trocheck each scored and set up a goal, giving the former 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in his past 13 games while the latter has 12 (eight goals, four assists) in that stretch. Frank Vatrano has been sidelined since Feb. 6 with a high-ankle sprain but is expected to make his debut with his new team on Saturday. Vatrano was acquired from the Bruins on Feb. 22 for a third-round pick. Vatrano is expected to be paired on the team's second line with Jonathan Huberdeau (career-best 21 goals) and Trocheck (team-leading 26 goals).
The pick: No doubt that the Panthers are the better (hotter) team right now but the Rangers own a 10-2-2 mark against the Panthers since the start of the 2013-14 season. Also, Henrik Lundqvist (the 2012 Vezina Trophy recipient), sports a 17-5-1 mark with two shutouts in his last 24 appearances versus Florida. Take the 1 1/2 goals and make the Rangers an 8* play.
NY Rangers: After earning 102 points last season, New York's fortunes have been far from very positive this season. The Rangers have made the playoffs in each of the past seven seasons but appear destined to miss out at this year. They have lost nine of their past 12 games and raised the white flag of surrender last month when they traded many of their stars in exchange for draft picks, young players and hope for the future. Among the players traded away were star defenseman Ryan McDonagh and top-six forwards J.T. Miller, Michael Grabner and Rick Nash. However, Ryan Spooner is making quite the impression as he continued his torrid stretch on Thursday with a goal and two assists. He has 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in six games since being acquired from Boston on Feb. 25. Fellow forward Kevin Hayes scored and set up a goal versus the Lightning in a 5-3 Thursday loss, boosting his career-high goal total to 19 this season and his point total to 14 (eight goals, six assists) in his past 14 games.
Florida: The Panthers have sizzled since the All-Star break. Roberto Luongo turned aside all 40 shots he faced in Thursday's 5-0 romp over Montreal to improve his save percentage to .938 in his last 19 games. Evgenii Dadonov and fellow forward Vincent Trocheck each scored and set up a goal, giving the former 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in his past 13 games while the latter has 12 (eight goals, four assists) in that stretch. Frank Vatrano has been sidelined since Feb. 6 with a high-ankle sprain but is expected to make his debut with his new team on Saturday. Vatrano was acquired from the Bruins on Feb. 22 for a third-round pick. Vatrano is expected to be paired on the team's second line with Jonathan Huberdeau (career-best 21 goals) and Trocheck (team-leading 26 goals).
The pick: No doubt that the Panthers are the better (hotter) team right now but the Rangers own a 10-2-2 mark against the Panthers since the start of the 2013-14 season. Also, Henrik Lundqvist (the 2012 Vezina Trophy recipient), sports a 17-5-1 mark with two shutouts in his last 24 appearances versus Florida. Take the 1 1/2 goals and make the Rangers an 8* play.
