Hurricanes vs Rangers Prediction, Odds & Picks (March 21): Carolina Keeps Struggling at MSG

Tuesday, March 21’s NHL schedule features a massive Metropolitan Division battle between the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers. Carolina currently sits atop the division with 98 points while New York sits just six points back in third. With both sides only having a handful of regular-season games remaining, it’s clear that tonight’s Hurricanes vs Rangers tilt is crucial for the standings.

Rangers have late season test against Metro-best Hurricanes https://t.co/kbCvjHHf0j pic.twitter.com/xNf71wolW9

— New York Post (@nypost) March 20, 2023

After losing three of their previous four games, the Hurricanes bounced back with a 5-4 overtime win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. Sebastian Aho tallied the seventh hat trick of his career while Martin Necas and Brady Skjei each had two-point efforts.

On the other side, the Rangers are on a dominant run. They’ve tallied points in seven straight games and have won their last four in a row. The Rangers’ most recent victory came in the form of a 7-0 blowout over the Nashville Predators, highlighted by defenseman K’Andre Miller scoring twice while adding a pair of assists.

If you’re searching for betting opportunities for tonight’s action, look no further. Betting News has you covered with BetOnline Sportsbook’s latest Hurricanes vs Rangers odds, as well as a prediction and the best bets for the game.

Carolina Hurricanes vs New York Rangers Matchup Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: Carolina Hurricanes (45-15-8, 21-7-6 Away) vs. New York Rangers (41-19-10, 21-11-4 Home)
• Venue & Location: Madison Square Garden (New York City, New York)
• Date: Tuesday, March 21, 2023
• Game Time: 7 p.m. Eastern Time
• Hurricanes vs Rangers TV Info: ESPN+

Hurricanes vs Rangers Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline as of Tuesday, March 21 at 8:40 a.m. ET. Odds from other top online sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• Carolina Hurricanes +1.5 (-265)
• New York Rangers -1.5 (+210)

Over/Under

• Over 5.5 Goals (-134)
• Under 5.5 Goals (+110)

Moneyline

• Carolina Hurricanes -110
• New York Rangers -110

Hurricanes vs Rangers Betting Trends

• Carolina is 1-6 straight up in its last seven games against the Rangers.
• The Rangers are 5-1 straight up in their last six home games.
• The total has hit the over in four of Carolina’s last five road games.
• The total has hit the under in four of the Rangers’ last five games against the Metropolitan Division.
• The total has hit the over in four of the last five Hurricanes-Rangers matchups.

Hurricanes vs Rangers Game Preview

Even though the moneyline lists this game as a pick ‘em situation, the Hurricanes vs Rangers seasons series has been anything but even.

The two division rivals have collided twice this season, resulting in a pair of victories for the Rangers. What’s even more impressive is that they’ve outscored the Hurricanes 11-5 in those contests, winning each by at least a pair of goals.

Unfortunately for the Hurricanes, this trend isn’t anything new. After all, Carolina has lost six of its last seven games against New York. Things are only worse at the site of tonight’s game — Madison Square Garden — where the Hurricanes have lost 16 of their last 20 trips.

In fact, the Hurricanes have lost four straight visits to MSG dating back to the 2021-22 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Considering how Carolina already lost 5-3 to New York on the road back in January, it’ll be interesting to see if that streak continues.

The bad news for the Hurricanes is that the Rangers have been terrific at home lately. They’re 10-2-0 in their last 12 home games and have won the last four in a row. One example of New York’s dominance is the fact that it’s won its last two home contests by a combined score of 13-0. So yeah, it’s going to be an uphill battle for Carolina.

The Hurricanes, on the other hand, have been a mixed back on the road. They’re 3-3-0 in their last six road games, getting outscored 18-19 in that span.

What’s intriguing is that the Hurricanes haven’t had issues beating up weaker teams (Ex. Arizona Coyotes, Montreal Canadiens) over that stretch, but they did pick up losses against tougher opponents (Ex. Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils).

It’s also going to be tough for Carolina to win if Frederik Andersen doesn’t improve his play between the pipes. The veteran netminder has a .882 save percentage in his last seven appearances, finishing with a sub-.900 SV% in all but two of those contests.

For comparison, Igor Shesterkin has been lights out for the Rangers. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner has gone 7-1-0 with a 2.09 goals-against average and .928 SV% in his last eight games. Furthermore, he’s coming off a shutout performance in his last start.

At the end of the day, I wouldn’t be shocked if this game had a playoff atmosphere to it.

Hurricanes vs Rangers Prediction and Picks

Hurricanes vs Rangers Prediction: Rangers 4, Hurricanes 3

Hurricanes vs Rangers Picks: Rangers ML (Best Value: -110 at BetOnline) & Over 5.5 Goals (Best Value: -134 at BetOnline)

A victory tonight means the Rangers would be just one point behind the Hurricanes for the Metropolitan’s top spot. With motivation like that, it’s hard to imagine the home team losing. The Rangers have completely dominated the competition and with the Hurricanes struggling to win at MSG, I see New York closing the gap in the playoff race.

On top of an outright New York victory, I suggest taking the over on the 5.5-goal total. After all, the last four Hurricanes vs Rangers tilts have seen an average of 7.8 goals scored, surpassing 5.5 in each. Considering how important a victory is for both sides, expect them to step up their respective effort, leading to a fair amount of offense.

Other Hurricanes vs Rangers Betting Resources

• Hurricanes vs Rangers Consensus Picks, Score Projections & Betting Stats

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