St. Louis Blues vs New York Rangers Predictions

Rangers’ goaltending makes -125 hard to lay

New York enters Tuesday’s game at Madison Square Garden on a four-game losing streak after Sunday’s 4-1 loss to Edmonton. The Rangers have allowed 17 goals over their past three games, according to the St. Louis Blues / NHL.com game preview. That recent defensive record makes their -125 moneyline unappealing.

The Rangers are also missing their top two goaltenders. Igor Shesterkin is out for the season with a knee injury, while Joonas Korpisalo was expected to miss at least four more weeks as of Oct. 10. Dylan Garand and James Reimer are handling the crease, but the starter for this game is unconfirmed.

Why St. Louis can win

St. Louis arrives after rallying for a 5-4 win at Detroit. Jimmy Snuggerud leads the Blues with eight goals and has scored in two straight games, giving St. Louis an in-form finisher against a Rangers team that has struggled to keep the puck out of its net.

Fade the Public Analytics, a betting-splits publisher, reported that New York attracted 76% of moneyline bets, while St. Louis received 24%. That snapshot isn’t a reason by itself to oppose the Rangers, but it shows bettors favoring New York despite its recent losses and goaltending injuries. The Blues are the pick at +105, with modest confidence because neither starting goalie has been confirmed.

Total carries a costly price

The total is 5.5, but bettors must lay -130 on the over. New York’s 17 goals allowed in three games support the case for scoring, yet limited lineup and starting-goalie information makes that price difficult to justify. The better wager is St. Louis on the moneyline rather than forcing a play on the total.