Rangers visit Blackhawks in an Original Six Showdown
The New York Rangers visit the Chicago Blackhawks in an NHL Sunday night game. The Rangers on the season are 39-17-2 and 18-10-1 on the road. In their past 10 games played, the Rangers are 7-1-1 with the over/under 6-4
Chicago on the season is 39-21-2 overall and 21-9-2 at home. Over their past 10 games played, the Blackhawks are 6-3-0 and 2-5-3 on the over/under.
The Blackhawks will attempt to complete a three-game sweep of their current home stand against the visiting Rangers.
Chicago started its three-game run at home by defeating Carolina Monday before slipping by Edmonton Friday night 2-1. Chicago enters this game 4 points back of the second place St. Louis Blues, but 4 ahead of Minnesota the fourth placed team in the Central Division.
New York is currently on a road trip of five games that started with an overtime loss of 2-1 on Wednesday to Detroit. The Rangers trail the New York Islanders by three points for the Metropolitan Division top spot, but have played four less games than the Islanders.
New York swept last season’s series of two games between the two rivals. The two will play again this season on March 18 in the Big Apple at Madison Square Garden.
Rick Nash is the Rangers leading goal scorer with 38 goals, but is six behind league leader Alex Ovechkin who has 44. Nash has only one goal in his past five games after scoring four over his previous five games.
Antione Vermette scored the decisive goal on Friday in a shootout win for Chicago. It was just Vermette’s second game after the Blackhawks acquired him from Arizona.
Jonathan Toews the Blackhawks captain has 12 points in his past 12 games.
New York has earned one point or more in 12 of its past 13 games going 9-1-3. Johnny Oduya, a defenseman for Chicago, has an upper body injury and will miss his sixth straight game. New York is 10-2-3 since Henrik Lundqvist their goalie suffered a vascular neck injury.
Kimmo Timonen sat out practice on Saturday but will play for Chicago on Sunday. Corey Crawford will start in net for the Blackhawks.
The UNDER has cashed in 5 of the past 6 games between the two teams played in Chicago. The UNDER has cashed in 8 of the past 11 games between the two teams overall. The team at home has won 7 of the past 10 games between the two teams.
Pick: Rangers 3-2
