Both the New York Rangers and Florida Panthers go head-to-head in the Conference Finals. Based on our NHL odds, we are betting at top-rated sportsbooks on both teams’ defenses and goaltenders to keep the total under 5.5 goals in this first game of the series.
NHL Pick: Under 5.5 (-110) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
Florida Panthers vs. New York Rangers
Wednesday, May 22, 2024 – 08:00 PM ET at Madison Square Garden
Heavyweights Clash
Not only are the NY Rangers and Florida Panthers two of the favorites at this stage to lift lord Stanley, but they can also both boast about the fact they have strong defenses with the 3rd and 4th best goals-against record this post-season of all the teams who played ten or more games.
Throughout the regular season, the Florida Panthers had the best goals-against record and the Rangers had the 7th best. Throughout the playoffs, both teams’ goals-against records combine for 5.0 goals per game.
Defensive Duel
There is more than one side to this story. Both these teams have seen the 2nd and 3rd most goals scored during these playoffs, combining for 7.2 per game. So why take the under? Both these teams are going to be feeling each other out and likely playing with some extra caution at this late stage of the post-season.
Despite the previous 10 games between these teams in the Big Apple going over 5.5 goals, we are betting on the under 5.5 tonight. The total under has to hit eventually. We trust both these defenses and goaltenders to keep the scoring low in this first game of the series.
The Pick
The only stipulation with this bet is we do like the odds at -110 but probably wouldn’t go any lower than -115. There’s not much value here but a solid pick in our opinion.
NHL Pick: Under 5.5 (-110) at BetOnline
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
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