The 2022 Stanley Cup continues Thursday, May 5, with the Eastern Conference Conference First Round clash at Madison Square Garden in New York, so we have prepared the best Penguins vs. Rangers betting pick and odds. 

The Rangers host the Pens for Game 2, looking to tie the series as -140 moneyline favorites on Bookmaker Sportsbook. The Penguins are listed as +120 road underdogs with a total of 5.5 goals. 

The Pens hope for another upset                   

The Pittsburgh Penguins took the first blood in this series, playing as +125 moneyline dogs. They beat the Rangers 4-3 in triple overtime thanks to Evgeni Malkin’s 21st goal in 2021-22, while Casey DeSmith and Louis Domingue combined for 65 saves. 

The Pens took a whopping 83 shots in Game 1. Jake Guentzel scored a couple of goals, Bryan Rust had one goal and a pair of dishes, while Sidney Crosby accounted for two assists. DeSmith yielded three goals on 51 shots, and the 30-year-old netminder exited midway through the second overtime period due to a lower-body injury. 

Louis Domingue made 17 stops in relief last Tuesday. He’s guarded the cage only twice this past regular season, allowing four goals on 83 shots in the process. DeSmith is questionable to play in Game 2, so we could see Domingue in the crease Thursday at The Garden. 

The Rangers blew a two-goal lead in the opener      

The New York Rangers had a 2-0 lead after 3:08 of play in the second period of Game 1, but they allowed the Pens to tie the clash at 2-2. Chris Kreider’s shorthanded goal got the Rangers another lead that lasted for only a minute and a half, as we saw five goals in the second period. 

Igor Shesterkin surrendered four goals on 83 shots, posting the second-best record in Stanley Cup history with 79 saves. The 26-year-old goalie made a few sensational stops on the night, and he’ll certainly get another starting call in Game 2. 

Shesterkin was one of the best goaltenders in the league in 2021-22. He went 36-13-4 with a strong 2.07 GAA and .935 save percentage, tallying six shutouts in the process. The Rangers had the second-lowest scoring defense in the NHL, yielding just 2.52 goals per game. 

Trends:

Pittsburgh: 

  • 2-5 in the last seven games on the road 

NY Rangers:

  • 19-11 in the last 30 games overall 

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers Pick 

The Rangers won three of their four encounters with the Penguins last regular season. I’m expecting them to bounce back from a tough loss in Game 1 of their playoff series against the Pens, who might miss their starting goaltender. 

New York, on the other side, can count on Igor Shesterkin to put on another strong performance. In four regular-season starts against the Penguins, Shesterkin has gone 3-1-0 with a ridiculous 1.01 GAA and .960 save percentage. 

Pick: Take New York Rangers at -140                

The Total:

After blowing a two-goal lead in the opener, the Rangers need to slow down things in Game 2, especially if they take the lead once more. New York cannot allow the Penguins to take a lot of shots, as Igor Shesterkin is not invincible, and the Pens certainly own some top-notch players on their roster. 

I’ve mentioned how good the Rangers’ defense has been during the regular season. On the other side, the Penguins finished fifth in the league in goals allowed per game (2.74). Both teams are doing a great job with a man down, so I’m backing the under. 

Pick: Go under 5.5 goals at +110