Rangers vs. Penguins Game 6 NHL Picks: Will Pittsburgh Complete the Upset?
Desperate to avoid elimination for the second consecutive game, the New York Rangers travel to the Steel City on Friday night to battle the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 6. Read on for our Penguins-Rangers picks and predictions.
The nearly impossible heroics of goaltender Igor Sheterkin propped up a slightly better than average Rangers team for much of the 2021-22 season. With Shesterkin’s lauded brick wall impression slowly transforming into a sieve impersonation during the postseason, the Rangers find themselves on the brink of elimination.
At the other end, the Penguins have been the more complete team while overcoming injuries to their top two goaltenders and taking a 3-2 series lead. But will they be able to survive Sidney Crosby's potential absence in Game 6?
Here are my Rangers-Penguins picks and predictions for Friday’s Game 6 showdown (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook, and FanDuel Sportsbook; Pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5 star scale).
Rangers vs. Penguins Game Info
Date/Time: Friday, May 13, 7 p.m. ETTV: TNT, TVAS, Sportsnet, CBC, SportsNet PT, MSGLocation: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
Rangers vs. Penguins Odds Analysis
The Rangers opened as the -131 favorite. The line has since moved to -120 through DraftKings, despite 70% of the cash coming in on New York. If you believe the underdog Penguins can close out the series at home, Pittsburgh can be snatched up at +100.
The total is set 6.5, with the Over paying out at +100, and the Under at -120. Every game in the series has featured seven-plus goals, leading to some definite value in betting the Over.
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Rangers vs. Penguins Picks
Penguins (+105 DraftKings)???Over 6.5 (+100 DraftKings)????Jake Guentzel Over 0.5 goals (+120 FanDuel)????
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Rangers vs. Penguins Predictions
Penguins (+105)
So much of this pick hinges on Sidney Crosby's health. He's been an absolute beast with two goals and nine points in the series. But the Penguins captain left Game 5 with an upper-body injury after a questionable high hit from Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba.
With Crosby leading the way, the Penguins have controlled possession thus far. They boast a 54.10 Corsi for percentage while also besting the Rangers in goals scored, expected goals for, expected goals against, and expected goals for percentage.
Despite the potential loss of Crosby and inferior goaltending, the Pens have been the better club through five games and that will continue. They’ll close out the series at home on Friday night.
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Over 6.5 (+100)
Even with the odds-on Vezina favorite patrolling the Rangers’ crease, there’s been no shortage of goals through five games. The generally superhuman Shesterkin has looked mediocre in the postseason while surrendering a putrid 4.6 goals per game. That includes consecutive outings when he allowed seven pucks to touch twine.
Meanwhile, the Penguins' third-string goalie Louis Domingue is starting to look like, well, a third-stringer after a solid start to the playoffs. Domingue has allowed 3.75 goals per game over his last four contests, surrendering four-plus goals three times during that stretch.
With both goaltenders struggling mightily, the teams have combined for seven-plus goals in every game of the series. That won't change on Friday night.
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Guentzel Over 0.5 goals (+120)
Geuntzel has ratcheted up his reign of terror in the playoffs after registering 40 goals during the regular season, racking up seven markers through five games. He's lit the lamp during every matchup of the series while averaging a ludicrous six shots per game.
Expect Guentzel to make it rain rubber again on Friday night, with at least one of those pucks finding the back of the net.
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Rangers-Penguins picks made on 5/13/2022 at 9:20 a.m. ET.