Rangers vs Penguins Game 3 Odds and Picks
- The Rangers vs Penguins odds favor New York as -125 moneyline favorites in Game 3 on Saturday (7:00 pm ET)
- New York squared the best-of-7 series in Game 2 with a 5-2 victory
- Read below for the Game 3 Rangers vs Penguins odds, analysis and betting prediction
The Rangers and Penguins First Round playoff series is now down to a best-of-5. New York squared the series at one with a 5-2 victory in Game 2, thanks to another brilliant performance from star netminder Igor Shesterkin.
The series now shifts back to Pittsburgh for Game 3 on Saturday, and for the third consecutive game oddsmakers are leaning towards the Rangers.
Rangers vs Penguins Odds
| Team | Puck Line | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Rangers | -1.5 (+200) | O 6 (+100) | -125 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | +1.5 (-250) | U 6 (-120) | +105 |
Odds as of May 6th at Barstool Sportsbook.
New York opened up as -125 moneyline favorites, in a contest that features a total of 6. Puck drop is scheduled for 7pm ET at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA, with TNT providing the broadcast coverage.
As for the series market, the Rangers are now -145 favorites to advance to the conference semis. Both teams are considered longshots in the Stanley Cup odds however, with New York boasting a +1600 price tag, and Pittsburgh sporting +2500 odds.
Rangers vs Penguins Betting Analysis
The Game 2 final score is incredibly misleading. At first glance it looks like the Rangers coasted to victory, but this was a 3-2 game heading into the third period, and New York needed to fend off a Penguins barrage of chances before catching a lucky break.
Pittsburgh came out with its hair on fire in the final frame looking for the equalizer, recording the first nine shots on net. Shesterkin, the top contender in the Vezina Trophy odds, stopped them all and then Artemi Panarin’s pass deflected off a skate in front past Louis Domingue.
artemi panarin goal of the playoffs pic.twitter.com/RPIMbbm5np
— Spoked Z (@SpokedZ) May 6, 2022
Domingue was starting in place of Casey DeSmith, who started in place of Tristan Jarry in Game 1. It was Domingue’s first career playoff start, after starring in relief of DeSmith in Pittsburgh’s triple OT Game 1 win.
Domingue stopped 35 of the 40 shots he faced, but that paled in comparison to Shesterkin’s night. The Rangers phenom stopped 39 of 41 shots, a game after turning away 79 pucks. He boasts a .952 save percentage through two games in this series, after leading the NHL with a .935 mark during the regular season.
Igor Shesterkin has made 118 saves over the past two games, tied for the second most combined saves by a single goaltender in consecutive team playoff games in NHL history. #NYR pic.twitter.com/DQfEmMi6ft
— NYR Stats & Info (@NYRStatsInfo) May 6, 2022
In addition to Panarin’s goal, New York also got goals from Andrew Copp, Ryan Strome, Chris Kreider and Frank Vatrano. The Rangers offensive production has been very balanced thus far, but the same cannot be said for the Penguins.
Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel found the back of the net in Game 2, and the duo along with linemate Brian Rust have accounted for five of Pittsburgh’s six goals so far. The Penguins are going to need help from their other three lines if they hope to advance to the next round.
New York vs Pittsburgh Injury Report
Injury wise, the key storyline continues to be the health of Pittsburgh’s All-Star goalie Jarry. There’s no official word on his status for Game 3, although it doesn’t look promising.
Asked if Jarry or DeSmith could be available for Game 3, Mike Sullivan said he’s not thinking about Game 3.
Tristan Jarry has yet to skate since his injury.
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) May 5, 2022
He’s yet to skate since injuring his ankle, and will likely need a few good practices before seeing any action.
As for the other Penguins injuries, DeSmith, former 30-goal scorer Jason Zucker and defenseman Brian Dumoulin all missed Game 2 and are considered day-to-day.
On the New York side, center Barclay Goodrow will remain out, while defenseman Ryan Lindgren is considered day-to-day.
Rangers vs Penguins Pick
By the numbers, Pittsburgh has dominated this series. They’ve controlled the play 5-on-5 with a 55.73% Corsi percentage, while nearly doubling up the Rangers in expected goals for (10.74 to 5.75). They produced 18 high dangers scoring chances in Game 2, compared to only five by New York, and lead that category 47-19 through two games.
If you're not in awe… you're lying 🐐 pic.twitter.com/BJBshve3NA
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) May 6, 2022
The problem is, New York’s advantage between the pipes is massive. No goalie on earth can hold a candle to Shesterkin at the moment, while Pittsburgh might be forced to rely on Domingue, its third stringer, for a second consecutive contest.
I think there’s significant value on the Penguins as a home ‘dog, but I like betting under six goals even more. Shesterkin has allowed just nine goals in his last 18 periods against the Penguins, while the Rangers aren’t producing enough quality scoring chances to justify a total this high.
Pick: Under 6 (-120)
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As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
