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Avalanche vs Rangers: Both teams are in the top 3 in their conferences
The New York Rangers will host the Colorado Avalanche on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
Colorado has won the last three games
The Colorado Avalanche are second in the Western Conference with a 32-14-3 record, and they are only four points behind the leading Vancouver Canucks. The Avalanche have won the last three games and are coming off a 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Colorado is the best-scoring team in the NHL, averaging 3.84 goals per game, and is ranked 17th, allowing 3.10 goals per game. Nathan MacKinnon is having a fantastic season, being second in the league with 84 points and fifth with 31 goals.
The Rangers need to step up
The New York Rangers are third in the Eastern Conference with a 30-16-3 record. They lost four of the last six games before the All-Star break and are coming off a 7-2 win over the Ottawa Senators. The Rangers are 12th in the league, scoring 3.27 goals per game, and ninth, allowing 2.86. Artemi Panarin is tied for sixth place in the league with 66 points and 30 goals so far in the season. Goalie Jonathan Quick is ranked third in the NHL, allowing 2.43 goals per game.
Head-to-Head
Six of the last nine games between these two teams played in New York have gone over the total goal line. The Rangers have played over in 13 of their last 20 games overall and in 7 of their last 9 home games. The Avalanche have played over in 6 of their last 7 games overall and in 5 of their last 6 road games.
Prediction and Conclusion
Both teams are ranked highly in their respective conferences and are targeting the top seed. The Avalanche were in much better shape before the All-Star break and are hoping for a good start to their six-game road trip. The Rangers are solid at 15-7-0 at home and will not be easy to beat at MSG. However, the Avs are the highest-scoring team in the league and will push hard, which will take this game over 6 goals.
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