Canucks vs. Rangers Monday NHL odds, props: New York has been league's best team after a loss, including unbeaten record at home
It's a possible Stanley Cup Finals preview on Monday when Vancouver visits the New York Rangers.
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Needless to say, most of the sporting attention on Monday night will be on Michigan vs. Washington in the College Football Playoff national championship game. But there's also an excellent NHL game that could be a preview of the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals as the Pacific Division-leading Vancouver Canucks visit the Metropolitan-leading New York Rangers, who are -145 on the SportsLine consensus.
Personally, I was likely to pass on playing this matchup at SportsLine but now might because the Rangers are coming off a 4-3 upset loss in Montreal on Saturday. Why is that relevant? New York is an NHL-best 10-1 after a loss (the over/under is 2-7-2) this season, with its only two-game skid coming on Dec. 5 in Ottawa and Dec. 9 at Washington. The Rangers are a sterling 7-0 at home following a loss.
DraftKings lists the Rangers, Avalanche and Bruins all as +750 favorites to win the Stanley Cup – Boston visits Colorado in another potential Cup preview tonight. Oddsmakers don't quite believe in the vastly improved Canucks yet as they are +2200 to win their first-ever Cup. Their coach, Rick Tocchet, is the clear-cut +175 favorite to win the Jack Adams Award, otherwise known as NHL Coach of the Year.
We should get a matchup of Vezina Trophy-quality goaltenders tonight. It's already been confirmed that 2021-22 Vezina winner Igor Shesterkin of the Rangers will be in net – it was backup Jonathan Quick on duty for Saturday's loss. Shesterkin (+1600 to win the Vezina) is having a good (but still not great by his standards) season at 16-8-0 with a 2.76 goals-against average and .908 save percentage. Shesterkin is 6-1-0 in his past seven outings, surrendering just 15 goals on 196 shots during that span. He will be tested by a Canucks offense that leads the NHL in scoring at 3.82 goals per game.
The Canucks' Thatcher Demko is a +350 second-favorite at DK for the Vezina behind Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck (+275). Vancouver has never had a Vezina winner. Demko, who has not been confirmed as of this writing (it would be a surprise if it's backup Casey DeSmith, although this is the front end of a back-to-back for Vancouver), is 19-8-1 with a 2.53 GAA, .916 SV and three shutouts. Demko beat the Devils on Saturday for his 100th career NHL victory. He is 2-0-0 with a 1.98 GAA and a .931 save percentage against the Rangers in his career.
Vancouver currently has the Norris Trophy favorite in blueliner Quinne Hughes, who has 16 points in his last 15 games and 49 points overall, first among defenseman and 10th among all skaters. The Canucks have the highest goal differential (+48) in the league, have the most wins when leading after two periods (22) and have the most wins when scoring first (20).
New York tries for the season sweep. It won 4-3 in overtime in Vancouver on Oct. 28 thanks to a K'Andre Miller goal. The Rangers scored three power-play goals in regulation. Shesterkin was in net for the Blueshirts.
The favorite for anytime goalscorer tonight is New York's Artemi Panarin at +125. He leads the team with 30 goals and is on a seven-game, 12-point streak that includes eight goals.
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