The Winnipeg Jets and New York Rangers go into Sunday on a back-to-back after the Jets avoided a complete collapse and the Rangers getting reamed in Montreal. The Jets threw away a 3-1 lead with less than 10 minutes to play in the 3rd period, but were able to put away with the Devils with a Scheifele goal, his second of the game. The Devils have been in a tailspin lately and losing like that doesn’t make it feel any better. To score two quick goals and then lose is a tough one to take.
Maybe for a contending team the 1 point would be more valuable, but not so much for a Devils squad in a skid. The Jets have a couple more games on the road in New York before getting two days off before welcoming the Blues to Winnipeg on Friday. They take on the Rangers today and then meet with the Islanders on Tuesday at the Barclays Center.
The Jets sat back too much in the 3rd period and looked content with a 3-1 game. They’re lucky that they got out of New Jersey with 2 points. Against good teams lapses like that usually result in losses. No disrespect to the Devils, but they are not a good team. Depth is a major issue for them despite having defending Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall on the team.
It wasn’t much of a competition in Montreal for the Rangers. They were losers from the get-go, as went into the 1st intermission down 2-0 on the back of two Shea Weber goals. The shots were lopsided as well, with the Canadiens registering 41 shots on net compared to just 22 for the Rangers. The Rangers have been much better at home this season, so we’ll see if it makes a difference back at MSG. Head below for our free Jets vs. Rangers pick for Sunday in NYC.
Winnipeg Jets vs. N.Y Rangers Pick
The Rangers have been a wreck on the road with a record of 3-8-2. There hasn’t been much effort from them when they aren’t hosting a team at MSG. Playing in NYC has its advantageous and it’s one of the destinations for visitors that can be a bit distracting on a road trip. The Rangers have gone 10-4-0 on their home ice, while their last road win came on November 11th against the Blue Jackets.
They were on the road for their last two outings and they both resulted in losses, which came against the Senators and Canadiens. The Rangers will likely feel better back in New York on Sunday. Note that they’ve averaged 3 goals per game and allowed 2.14 per game at Madison Square Garden. The Jets have been bad on the road defensively. They have allowed 3.18 goals per game outside of Winnipeg. Hellebuyck enters with a 3.21 GAA and 0.907 save percentage playing on the road in the 2018-19 season.
Lundqvist in particular has really seen a drastic difference between his results on the road and at home. He has gotten hammered for a 3.41 GAA and 0.901 save percentage on the road. Conversely, Lundqvist has shined in his own barn with a 1.99 GAA and 0.937 save percentage.
The Jets have been rather pedestrian on the road this season, posting a record of 6-5-0 and 2-2 in their previous four games. Look for the Rangers to feel more comfortable back at home where they’ve been a solid team in 2018-19. It would be difficult for me to lay this price on the Jets. There is better value by taking the underdog at home in New York on Sunday.