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Rangers vs. Bruins prediction
Pictured: Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand celebrates with right wing David Pastrnak and defenseman Charlie McAvoy. Photo by Bob DeChiara via Imagn Images.

Saturday's matinee at TD Garden between the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC) carries even more importance considering how closely they are positioned in the wild-card dogfight.

With a win, the Rangers would climb to within two points of the Bruins and three points adrift of the second wild-card spot. A Boston victory would see the B's gain parity with the Ottawa Senators for third in the Atlantic Division.

Our Rangers vs. Bruins prediction and picks analyze the chances of a tight-checking, playoff-like contest while offering a David Pastrnak prop. 

Rangers vs. Bruins predictions today

NHL odds via our best NHL betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale.

  • Game pick: Under 5.5 goals (+110 via Betway) ⭐⭐⭐
  • David Pastrnak player prop pick: 0.5 assists (+105 via Betway) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

My best Rangers vs. Bruins pick

Under 5.5 goals ⭐⭐⭐

The Boston Bruins stunk up the joint in their last two games, losing to the Buffalo Sabres and the Winnipeg Jets by a combined 13-4 margin. There's no way they make it three successive rancid outings.

The Bruins fans were losing patience in Thursday's lopsided home defeat to the Winnipeg Jets. I expect Joe Sacco's squad to be markedly better this afternoon, especially given who they are playing and what's at stake. Attention to detail, particularly in their own zone, will be the top priority for Sacco and his coaching staff.

I expect the version of the Bruins from the previous two tilts at TD Garden, where they shut out the Ottawa Senators before keeping a Colorado Avalanche team with the eighth-best road offense to one goal.

The Bruins — who have scored just 10 goals in the last five games - have been snakebitten offensively, and I don't see that discourse altering anytime soon.

While the Bruins' turnaround at TD Garden has been impressive - they have the fourth-best home points percentage (.808) since Dec. 1 - Sacco's squad has mustered the ninth-fewest goals per game (2.38) in that stretch. 

The Rangers have played much better recently, but it's impossible to know which version of the Blueshirts will show up. That said, they are usually ready to roll against their loathed Beantown rivals and should be buoyed by the return J.T. Miller, whether or not he suits up Saturday following Friday's trade. This is a situational pick, as both teams will be highly focused on taking care of matters in their own end. 

A winning $10 bet will profit $11. 

Best odds: +110 via Betway | Implied probability: 47.62%

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Best Rangers vs. Bruins player prop pick

NHL picks made Saturday; odds subject to change.

David Pastrnak prop pick: Over 0.5 assists ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pastrnak has the most shots in the league, firing 215 on goaltenders thus far. But he's often not given as much credit as he deserves for being one of the sport's best set-up men. Pastrnak leads the Bruins with 37 helpers, 16 ahead of second-place Brad Marchand. And he's on a nine-game assist streak, notching 12. 

The +105 odds make it a bet I can't overlook. While I believe the game will be low-scoring, Pastrnak chipped in with an assist on six of the Bruins' last 10 goals. A winning bet will profit $10.50. 

Best odds: +105 via via Betway | Implied probability: 48.78%

Rangers vs. Bruins odds

Odds via Betway.

MarketRangersBruins
Moneyline-105-115
Puck line+1.5 (-275)-1.5 (+200)
Over/UnderOver 5.5 (-130)Under 5.5 (+110)

Rangers vs. Bruins injuries

Rangers vs. Bruins live odds & info

  • When: Saturday, Feb. 1
  • Puck drop: 3:30 p.m. ET
  • Where: TD Garden (Boston)
  • How to watch: ESPN+
  • Favorite: Bruins -115 via Betway

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