Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA – Photo by Icon sport
Rangers vs Blackhawks: Does Chicago stand a chance in this game?
The New York Rangers are visiting the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night at United Center.
The Rangers are going for the top seed in the East
The New York Rangers are third in the Eastern Conference with a 32-16-3 record and are six points away from the leading Boston Bruins. The Rangers have won the last three games and are coming off a 3-1 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Rangers are 12th in the league, scoring 3.24 goals per game, and are ranked ninth, allowing 2.79 goals per game. Aretmi Panarin leads the Rangers with 67 points and 31 goals being ranked sixth in both categories.
The Blackhawks have lost the last five games
The Chicago Blackhawks are at the bottom of the Western Conference with the worst record in the league, 14-35-2. The Blackhawks have lost the last five games and are coming off a 2-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild. Chicago is the worst-scoring team in the league with 2.06 goals per game, and they are ranked 28th, allowing 3.49. Connor Bedard leads the Blackhawks by 33 points this season.
Head-to-Head
The Rangers have won 6 of the last 7 games against the Blackhawks and 4 of the last 6 overall. Chicago has lost the last 5 games overall, 5 of the last 6 games against teams from the Metropolitan Division and 6 of the last 7 games against teams from the Eastern Conference.
Prediction and Conclusion
The Chicago Blackhawks are the worst team in the league and have failed to score in three of the last five games. Despite playing on home ice, scoring will be very difficult against the Rangers, who have been one of the best defensive teams in the league for years now. New York has won six of the last seven games against Chicago and is in solid form, targeting the top seed in the East. This will be a one-direction game, with the Rangers covering the -1.5 puck line.
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