On Tuesday, the New York Rangers fired 68 shots at two different backup goaltenders over the course of 126 minutes. And their own goalie turned away a whopping 79 pucks fired in his direction. Yet New York still couldn’t escape with a Game 1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
So even though Rangers vs Penguins odds for Game 2 show New York as a solid home favorite (once again), the visitors will hit the ice Thursday with all the momentum. If the Rangers can’t figure out how to snatch it back and pick up their first playoff victory since 2017, a best-of-7 series that looked competitive on paper will be all but over.
Following a triple-overtime Game 1 thriller, Props.com dives into Rangers vs Penguins odds ahead of Game 2 at Madison Square Garden.
Odds via PointsBet USA and updated as of 6:05 p.m.. ET on May 5.
Game 2: Pittsburgh Penguins (1-0) vs New York Rangers (0-1)
Puck drop/TV: 7 p.m. ET/TNT
Moneyline: Rangers -165/Penguins +140
Puck Line: Rangers -1.5 (+165)/Penguins +1.5 (-200)
Total: 6 (Over +105/Under -125)
Series Price: Penguins -163/Rangers +135
Game 1 Recap: Pittsburgh scored six minutes into the third overtime session to earn a 4-3 victory as a consensus +120 underdog. The game flew Over the 5.5 total before the end of the second period.
Season Series: Rangers lead 3-2.
Slap Shots
- With his back to the net, Penguins center Evgeni Malkin redirected a slap shot past New York goalie Igor Shesterkin for the game-winner nearly six minutes into the third overtime.
- Third-string goalie Louis Domingue put down his fork, put on his pads and finished the game for Pittsburgh after starter Casey DeSmith was forced to leave midway through the second overtime with a lower-body injury. Domingue stopped all 17 shots he faced after DeSmith turned aside 48 of the Rangers’ first 51 shots.
- Each team scored six goals before the end of the second period, then went cold for nearly 68 minutes until Malkin’s tip-in ended it.
- Left wing Jake Guentzel scored Pittsburgh’s first two goals. Guentzel, Malkin (goal, assist), Bryan Rust (goal, two assists) and Sydney Crosby (two assists) combined for nine points.
- Shesterkin, who is a lock to win the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender, was spectacular for the Rangers. His 79 saves were the second-most in NHL playoff history.
- New York converted its only power-play chance. Pittsburgh went 1-for-4 with the man advantage.
- DeSmith, who was playing in place of injured starter Tristan Jarry, is questionable for Game 2. Jarry has already been ruled out, so if DeSmith can’t go, Domingue will be back in net for the Penguins. Left wing Rickard Rakell also departed Game 1 early with a chest injury and is questionable.
Streaks & Stats
The Penguins, who went 5-7-1 in April, have won back-to-back games just once since a three-game winning streak from March 17-22. Since then, Pittsburgh is 3-5-2 on the road.
With Tuesday’s defeat, the Rangers’ postseason losing streak is now at seven games. The team’s last playoff win came against Ottawa in Game 4 of a 2017 second-round series. New York started this season 26-7-4 home record but is 1-3 in its last four at the Garden. The Rangers have scored exactly three goals in four straight games.
Betting Nuggets
Prior to Game 1, New York had outscored the Penguins 11-3 in winning three straight meetings overall and also had defeated Pittsburgh four straight times at home. … The favorite is still on an 8-3 roll in this rivalry. … The Over is 22-8-5 in the last 35 meetings.
Game 2 Best Bet
Penguins +140 (moneyline).
Penguins vs Rangers Odds and Action
UPDATED 6:05 P.M. ET THURSDAY: The Rangers opened as a -141 favorite at PointsBet USA, and the number has been steadily climbing since. Roughly an hour before game time, the moneyline has stretched to New York -165/Pittsburgh +140. The overwhelming majority of action is on the home team in Game 2, with 83% of the bets and 94% of the money on the Rangers.
The total opened at 6/Over +100, dipped to 5.5 with several juice adjustments to the Over, then returned to 6/Over -115 around 1:30 p.m. ET today. It’s now at 6/Under -125 on splits of 83% wagers and 52% cash on the Over.
UPDATED 11:20 A.M. ET THURSDAY: DraftKings opened the Rangers as a -135 favorite for Game 2 late Tuesday night, then bounced between -130 and -145 during a one-hour stretch Wednesday afternoon. The moneyline has since shut up as high as -170 before receding back to the current number of Rangers -160/Penguins +140. The majority of moneyline action is on New York at 81% tickets and 81% cash. The puck line is a bit more evenly split, with 51% of bets and 60% of money on the home team.
The total opened at 5.5/Over -130, and while the number hasn’t changed the juice has dropped to Over -120. DraftKings bettors expect another high-scoring affair, as 80% of the wagers and 81% of the dough is on the Over.
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