New York Rangers vs Florida Panthers Prediction, 12/29/2023 NHL Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: New York Rangers vs Florida Panthers

Date: Friday, December 29, 2023

Location: FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, FL

TV: Bally Sports Florida

Odds/Point Spread: Rangers (+107) Panthers (-129)

FLA Live Arena is the location where the Florida Panthers (20-12-2) will attempt to defeat the New York Rangers (24-8-1) on Friday. The odds on this game have the Rangers at +107 and the Panthers are coming in at -129. The over/under has been set at 7.

The New York Rangers were on the right side of the scoreboard with a 5-1 victory over the Capitals in their previous game. The Rangers had a good offensive outing in this win. For the game, they tallied a score on 5 out of the 31 shots they put on goal. Moreover, they had 3 power play chances and notched 1 goal. New York amassed 4 penalty minutes for this contest.

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At even strength, the Rangers have conceded 75 goals while scoring 79 on offense. New York Rangers opponents have 100 power play tries (27th in hockey) and have tallied 14 goals in those attempts. In terms of scoring goals, the New York Rangers have earned 112 goals (10th in pro hockey) so far this season and have conceded 89. New York has tried 1,020 shots and has a shooting percentage of 11.0%. For the current season, they have 49 points and their points percentage is .742. The Rangers have had 978 shots attempted against them and are the owners of a save percentage of .909. New York skates onto the rink with 106 power play chances and they have scored 33 goals out of those attempts, garnering them a percentage of 31.13%.

Protecting the goal for this matchup will be Igor Shesterkin. Opponents have scored 419 goals versus Shesterkin in his NHL career and his goals against average is 2.42. Shesterkin has been involved in 179 games over the course of his professional hockey career. His save percentage is at .922 in his 10,387 minutes between the pipes. He has accumulated a win-loss record of 113-49-15 and he has started in 174 games. In his professional hockey career, Shesterkin has earned 115 quality starts and his quality starts percentage is .661. Shesterkin has seen 5,372 shots against him and has gathered 4,953 saves.

The last time they were on the ice, Florida faced off against the Lightning in an outing where the Panthers ended up with the victory by a final score of 3-2. The Panthers had 3 goals out of the 31 shots on goal they tried. They had 3 opportunities on the power play in this matchup but weren't able to score a goal.

The Panthers are sitting with 79 goals at even strength and 20 goals (21st in pro hockey) while on the power play. Florida has taken 1,162 shots (3rd in pro hockey) and has accumulated a shooting percentage of 8.52%, while allowing the other team 922 shots. For the season, the Florida Panthers have tallied 99 goals, 42 points, as well as a points percentage of .618. They have allowed 88 goals to be scored by of a combination of 70 goals at even strength and 18 goals while they had less men on the ice. They have earned 109 power play opportunities and they have earned a power play rate of 18.35%. They have accumulated a penalty kill percentage of 83.33% on their oppositions 108 opportunities on the power play, and their save percentage sits at 90.5%.

Across the rink you are going to see Sergei Bobrovsky protecting the net. Teams are averaging 2.60 goals per game and he has relinquished 1,666 goals altogether. Bobrovsky's rate of quality starts sits at 57.2% and he has qualified for 373 quality starting assignments in his career. He has started in 652 games and has played 38,436 mins. Bobrovsky is the owner of a lifetime record of 376-216-52 and has participated in 668 games. He has racked up 17,873 saves out of the 19,539 shots attempted against him, giving him a save percentage of .915.

Who will win tonight's NHL game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh's Pick: Take New York (+107)

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