Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Rangers Predictions and Picks | NHL Dec 20

Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Rangers Betting Preview

The Rangers look to extend their win streak to eight while the Penguins are coming off a loss that snapped a 7-game winning streak. WagerTalk NHL handicapper Kevin Dolan breaks down this Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Rangers matchup giving his betting trends and angles before puck drop.

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Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Rangers Betting Odds

Tuesday, December 20	NHL Betting Notes
Moneyline:	Pittsburgh Penguins -135 vs New York Rangers +115
Puckline:	Penguins +1.5 (+185) / Rangers  -1.5 (-215)
Total:	5.5 (Over -120 / Under +100)
Arena:	PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA (Odds Above Courtesy of DraftKings)
Game Time:	7:00pm ET / 4:00pm PT

Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Rangers Betting Analysis

It’s been seven straight wins now for the New York Rangers heading into Tuesday night’s clash against the Pittsburgh Penguins and a large of that recent success for the Rangers has been on a defense that has allowed just 1.67 goals per game on average over their last six starts.

The Pittsburgh Penguins meanwhile come into this game just coming off a seven-game winning run of their own, with that impressive streak finally coming to an end against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday, something the Penguins will look to similarly inflict on the Rangers later tonight also.

The Rangers and Penguins met in the Conference First Round of last season’s playoffs, with the Rangers coming out on top in an electric seven-game series which saw New York rally back from a 3-1 deficit before taking Game 7 in OT.

Rangers Look To Rely On Watertight Defense

It’s not only recently where the New York Rangers have been strong defensively, but also across the majority of the season as well.

Only four teams have a lower opponent high-danger connect percentage than the Rangers this year, along with ranking as the 6th best team in the league in terms of overall scoring defense this season as well.

However, there have definitely been some warning signs for the Rangers this year as they rank 24th on defensive xGA this season and have benefitted from a top-five actual to expected goal differential rank this year as well, something that will no doubt regress as the season winds on.

Some Harsh Memories For Pittsburgh

Last season’s playoff elimination meeting against the Rangers is likely still fresh in the minds of this Penguins team as they came so close to eliminating the Rangers themselves in that one.

The Penguins held a 2-0 lead midway through the second period of Game 5, holding a 3-1 series lead to boot, and looked to be in complete cruise control before a questionable hit on Sidney Crosby by current New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba swung the game for New York.

That pivotal moment not only saw the Rangers storm back to take Game 5, but also eventually the series, as they went on to take the final three games.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Rangers Prediction

With as good as the Rangers have been defensively so far over the month of December, it’s hard to look past anything other than an Under in this one on Tuesday.

Pittsburgh themselves rank 8th in the league on opponent high-danger scoring opportunities allowed this year as well, and if they can clean up an opponent conversion percentage in that area that ranks last in the league overall, this game has a real shot of coming in under the total later tonight in PPG Paints Arena. Take the Under 5.5 goals on Tuesday in the matchup between the New York Rangers and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Prediction: Under 5.5 Goals Scored

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Puck Time | NHL Betting Preview for December 20

Join Andrew McInnis and Don Buster for Tuesday’s edition of Puck Time as our panel of professional hockey handicappers break down this weekend’s NHL betting card. Join the Puck Time crew every week day at 11am ET / 8am PT as we discuss the NHL betting slate from a variety of handicapping angles.

NHL Live Odds Screen

WagerTalk’s Live Odds Screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the moneylines, pucklines, totals and betting percentages for all of Tuesday’s NHL action, including this Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Rangers showdown, from your desktop or phone.

 

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Meet the Author

‘The sharpest sports mind in Ireland’ is how one prominent newspaper dubbed Kevin Dolan after he became the first foreigner ever to win the World Series of Handicapping tournament back in 2015. “The Irishman” made his start wagering on GAA, football, soccer and boxing, all to immense success.

Since becoming a professional bettor, he has since lit up the sports betting scene in the U.S. and abroad, winning two handicapping awards and writing a best-selling book on sports handicapping named ‘The Complete Guide to Sports Betting’.

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