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Rogers' ICE BREAKER >> 3-0 NHL Start To November!
(NHL) Edmonton vs. NY Rangers,
Money Line: -168.00 NY Rangers (Home)
Result: Win
Money Line: -168.00 NY Rangers (Home)
Result: Win
The set-up: The 7-2-1 (15 points) Edmonton Oilers visit Madison Square Garden tonight to take on the 7-3-0 (14 points) NY Rangers. The Oilers are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Tuesday night but enter this contest 3-0-1 on the road and with the most points of any team in the Western Conference. This, after finishing 31-43-8 last season, with the team's 70 points being the fewest in the Western Conference (only Toronto, with 69 points, finished with fewer points last season than the Oilers in the entire NHL). The Rangers are off to a strong start and have played most of their games at home, as they are 6-1-0 at MSG after 10 overall games.
Edmonton: The Oilers' turnaround has been dramatic but Tuesday's OT loss was the team's second in a row, following a 2-0 home loss to Ottawa last Sunday. The team had opened 6-1-1 its first eight, so there may be some concern heading to a tough venue like MSG. The Oilers struggled badly on the road last season (12-23-6) but have gotten excellent play from goaltender Cam Talbot, who was a backup goaltender for the Rangers for two seasons before joining the Oilers last season. He is among the league leaders in GAA (2.14) and save percentage (.932) plus has been in net for every Edmonton game so far.
NY Rangers: New York is coming off a pair of impressive home victories, demolishing Tampa Bay 6-1 and St. Louis 5-0, two teams that advanced to the conference finals last season. Henrik Lundqvist earned his 60th career shutout in the win over the blues and is expected to be in net tonight. He's 5-3-0 with a 2.14 GAA and .917 save percentage on the season.
The pick: The Oilers have overachieved so far but will have their hands full here vs. New York. The Rangers have 40 goals through 10 contests, their highest total since matching those numbers in 1992-93. The team's 6-1-0 home record should be no surprise, as the Rangers went 27-10-4 at home last season, as only Washington (29) and Dallas (28) earned more home ice wins. Edmonton has converted on only 1 of 19 power play chances over the past eight games and that doesn't bode well here vs. Lundqvist. As Edmonton netminder Cam Talbot said about returning to MSG as ‘the enemy,' "I've got buddies who are going to want to put some pucks past me." I believe they will, so make the Rangers an 8* play.
Edmonton: The Oilers' turnaround has been dramatic but Tuesday's OT loss was the team's second in a row, following a 2-0 home loss to Ottawa last Sunday. The team had opened 6-1-1 its first eight, so there may be some concern heading to a tough venue like MSG. The Oilers struggled badly on the road last season (12-23-6) but have gotten excellent play from goaltender Cam Talbot, who was a backup goaltender for the Rangers for two seasons before joining the Oilers last season. He is among the league leaders in GAA (2.14) and save percentage (.932) plus has been in net for every Edmonton game so far.
NY Rangers: New York is coming off a pair of impressive home victories, demolishing Tampa Bay 6-1 and St. Louis 5-0, two teams that advanced to the conference finals last season. Henrik Lundqvist earned his 60th career shutout in the win over the blues and is expected to be in net tonight. He's 5-3-0 with a 2.14 GAA and .917 save percentage on the season.
The pick: The Oilers have overachieved so far but will have their hands full here vs. New York. The Rangers have 40 goals through 10 contests, their highest total since matching those numbers in 1992-93. The team's 6-1-0 home record should be no surprise, as the Rangers went 27-10-4 at home last season, as only Washington (29) and Dallas (28) earned more home ice wins. Edmonton has converted on only 1 of 19 power play chances over the past eight games and that doesn't bode well here vs. Lundqvist. As Edmonton netminder Cam Talbot said about returning to MSG as ‘the enemy,' "I've got buddies who are going to want to put some pucks past me." I believe they will, so make the Rangers an 8* play.
