Pittsburgh Penguins (49-27-11) vs New York Rangers (54-26-7)
Game Info: Friday, May 13, 2022 at 7:00 pm (PPG Paints Arena)
Betting Odds: Pittsburgh Penguins -103 / New York Rangers -119 --- Over/Under: 6.5 Click Here for the Latest Odds
The Pittsburgh Penguins host the New York Rangers in Friday NHL Playoff Action
The New York Rangers come into this road contest looking to battle their way back and tie their series vs Pittsburgh. On the season, they have found the net 254 times, good for a rank of 16th among NHL teams. Heading into the game, New York is the 2nd ranked defensive team, allowing opponents to score at an average rate of 2.49 goals per game. When diving into their opponent-adjusted scoring margin, they come into this game as the 9th-ranked team in the NHL.
The Pittsburgh Penguins will look to close out their series vs the Rangers after missing out on an opportunity in game 5. Through 82 games, the Penguins have scored 272 goals, giving them an average of 3.28. This output gives them a rank of 11th among NHL teams. On defense, Pittsburgh is the 5th ranked unit, giving up 2.71 goals per contest. And, when taking into account Pittsburgh's scoring margin relative to the quality of their competition, they come in with a power ranking of 10th in the NHL.
Coming into this game, the New York Rangers leader in points is Artemi Panarin. In his team's 82 games, he has come up with 22 goals and 74 assists. He has scored his goals on a shooting percentage of 12.4%. While on the ice, his offensive production has led to a plus minus rating of +21.0. The team's top overall goal scorer is Chris Kreider. Of his 52 goals, 50.0% have come during power play time. New York's top goalie is Igor Shesterkin, who is giving up an average of 2.07 goals per game. In his 53 games played, he has turned in 38 quality starts, giving him a quality start percentage above the league average.
Through 76 games, the Pittsburgh Penguins' goal and overall scoring leader is Jake Guentzel, with 84 points. He has reached his mark of 40 goals, with a shooting percentage of 15.2%. So far, 18.0% of his goals have come during power play time. Behind him is Sidney Crosby, who has 53 assists to go along with his 31 goals. While on the ice, his offensive production has led to a plus-minus rating of +19. Pittsburgh's top goalie is Tristan Jarry, who is giving up an average of 2.42 goals per game. In his 58 games played, he has turned in 35 quality starts, giving him a quality start percentage above the league average.
When looking at the goal totals throughout this series, every single game has reached at least 7 goals. This includes an 11-goal outburst in game 3. Look for this trend to continue, as Pittsburgh does not seem to be bothered by a Rangers goalie unit that ranked near the top of the league in save percentage. On the other side, the Rangers have outperformed their usual scoring output from the regular season. Look for this matchup to surpass the over-under line of 6.5 goals.
Joe’s Pick Over 6.5 Goals
AUTHOR: Joe Kiemen
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