NHL Betting Preview: Colorado Avalanche vs. New York Rangers

As we get closer and closer to the holiday season, hockey continues to bring us NHL betting joy every night with games like the Colorado Avalanche vs. the New York Rangers. 

At 7:00 pm ET, the Avalanche head to the Garden to dance with a red hot Rangers team. So, make sure you head over to FanDuel Sportsbook and check out the wagers because this is a game you don’t want to miss. 

If you like offense, look no further than the Colorado Avalanche. A team scoring over four goals a night on average (the best in the NHL). The Avalanche offense is a goalie’s worst nightmare. 

Unfortunately for Colorado, while their offense is frightening, the goaltending in the Mile High City is a freak show. Darcy Kuemper has fallen flat this season with a mediocre SV% of .903 and a GAA at almost three. As average as Kuemper has been, the Avs have struggled even worse in his absence. Colorado has allowed five or more goals in three of the past five games while their starting goaltender has been out with an upper-body injury. Kuemper did skate on Monday and faced some shots and could be back to face the Blueshirts on Wednesday night.

We would almost always lean towards the over with a team designed to win games 7-6 on the ice. However, it is a different story with the Rangers on the other end. 

New York may be the most balanced team in all of hockey right now. All aspects of their game are solid, but mainly their defense.  

The Rangers enter Wednesday, surrendering just two and a half goals a night, which is no less impressive than something of a brick wall. Their solid D has helped New York to a seven-game win streak in which they’ve allowed two or fewer goals in six in a row.

Alexander Georgiev, who started Tuesday night against Chicago, is likely to get the nod again Wednesday in place of injured Igor Shesterkin. That could play a factor, but we don’t think it will be prominent. 

The total of 6.5 is just too high for tonight’s tilt. The Rangers are too good defensively to play in games where seven goals go up on the board. 

This game could go either way. It is super close with two playoff-bound teams, but we are leaning towards the Rangers at home as New York hasn’t lost at MSG in a month and a half.

The Picks: Total Goals: Under 6.5 (-114) | Rangers Moneyline +126

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