New York Rangers vs Tampa Bay Lightning Prediction, 12/31/2021 NHL Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: New York Rangers vs Tampa Bay Lightning

Date: Friday, December 31, 2021

Location: Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL

TV: Bally Sports Sun

Odds/Point Spread: Rangers (+120) Lightning (-144)

The New York Rangers (19-8-4) are on their way to Amalie Arena on Friday where they will go up against the Tampa Bay Lightning (21-6-4). The odds on this game have the Rangers at +120 while the Lightning are coming in at -144. The total comes in at 6.

The New York Rangers will look for better times on the ice after their 4-3 defeat to the Panthers their last time on the ice. New York earned 6 penalty minutes in this matchup. Additionally, they had 2 opportunities with more players on the ice but didn't get a goal. The Rangers played like an average offensive team in this loss. In the matchup, they converted 3 out of the 33 shots they tried.

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In the matter of their scoring capabilities, the New York Rangers have accumulated 88 goals (16th in the league) on the year and have surrendered 80. For the current campaign, they have tallied 42 points and their points percentage comes in at .677. New York has 88 power play opportunities and they have notched 22 goals out of those attempts, giving them a rate of 25.00%. While at even strength, the Rangers let the opposition score 66 goals while having 66 when they are on offense. New York has tried 895 shots and has a shooting percentage of 9.8%. The Rangers have had 984 shots attempted against them and hold a save percentage of .919. New York Rangers opponents have amassed 91 power play opportunities (12th in the NHL) and have come away with 14 goals in those attempts.

Patrolling the crease for the game will be Igor Shesterkin. Opponents have been able to score 151 goals versus Shesterkin in his pro career and his goals against average per game is 2.47. Shesterkin has participated in 66 contests throughout his professional hockey career. His save percentage currently is .925 during his 3,672 minutes in the crease. He has compiled an overall mark of 39-20-5 and he has gotten the start in 61 games. For his career, Shesterkin has accrued 43 quality starts and his quality starts percentage sits at .705. Shesterkin has had 2,000 shots taken against him and he has 1,849 saves.

In their last game, Tampa Bay squared up with the Canadiens in a game where the Lightning ended up with the victory by a score of 5-4. They had 4 power play attempts in this contest but were not able to net one. The Lightning recorded 5 goals out of the 37 shots on goal they tried.

Tampa Bay has attempted 905 shots (22nd in the NHL) and has accumulated a shooting percentage of 11.16%, while allowing the opposition 939 shots. They have recorded a penalty kill percentage of 80.00% on the other teams 90 power play tries, and their save percentage sits at 91.3%. They have earned 95 power play chances and they have accumulated a power play rate of 17.89%. The Lightning have earned 84 goals at even strength and 17 goals (16th in professional hockey) while on the power play. They have allowed 82 goals to be scored by way of 64 goals at even strength and 18 goals while they had less men on the ice. So far this season, the Tampa Bay Lightning have notched a total of 101 goals, 46 points, in addition to a points percentage of .742.

Across the ice you will find Brian Elliott patrolling the crease. Elliott has a lifetime mark of 259-157-50 and has been in net for 509 games. Elliott's percentage of quality starts comes out to 54.3% and he has earned 251 quality starts in his hockey career. He has a tally of 12,060 stops out of 13,249 shots tried, which gives him a save percentage of .910. The opposition is averaging 2.54 goals/game and he has yielded 1,189 goals altogether. He has started in 462 contests and has played for a total of 28,118 minutes.

Who will win tonight's NHL game ATS?

Guy's Pick: Take Tampa Bay (-144)

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