Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA – Photo by Icon sport
Lightning vs Rangers: A matchup between two Eastern Conference giants
The New York Rangers are hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
The Lightning are playing their best hockey of the season
The Tampa Bay Lightning are fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 27-18-5 record. They have won eight of the last 10 games and are currently on a three-game winning streak, with the last one being a 6-3 win over the New Jersey Devils. The Lightning are seventh in the league, scoring 3.48 goals per game, and are ranked 23rd, allowing 3.28. Nikita Kucherov has another impressive season, tied for first place in the league with 85 points and 53 assists.
The Rangers are going for the top seed in the East
The New York Rangers are third in the Eastern Conference with a 31-16-3 record and are six points away from the leading Boston Bruins. The Rangers have won the last two games and are coming off a 2-1 overtime win over the Colorado Avalanche. The Rangers are 12th in the league, scoring 3.24 goals per game, and are ranked ninth, allowing 2.82 goals per game. Aretmi Panarin leads the Rangers with 67 points (tied 4th) and 31 goals (tied 6th).
Head-to-Head
These two teams have played under the total goal line in 8 of their last 10 head-to-head games. Tampa Bay has stayed under in 4 of their last 5 games played on Wednesday.
Prediction and Conclusion
This is a matchup between two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference for years now. They are both in the top 5 in the conference and are on active winning streaks. The Rangers are coming off an impressive win, allowing the best-scoring team in the league, the Colorado Avalanche, only one goal in more than 60 minutes of action. The Lighting have won the last three games with an identical 6-3 score. Their offense is red-hot, but they will chill when they visit MSG on Wednesday. There haven’t been more than six goals in eight of the last eight games between these two, and this one will also stay under 6.5.
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