New York Rangers vs Colorado Avalanche Prediction & Picks - NHL

Prediction published on 3/27/24, 4:31 PM  by Matthew Newman | Modified on 3/27/24 at 4:37 PM in NHL Picks

The 46-21-5 Colorado Avalanche host the 48-20-4 New York Rangers on Thursday. The Avs have the best home record in the NHL but their last two have been a struggle. They had to battle back from 0-4 behind the Pittsburgh Penguins before winning 5-4 in overtime and then losing 1-2 to the Montreal Canadiens last time. That is a defeat that is going to frustrate them as the Habs have had another poor year but they also topped the Avs in Canada in January. They had scored five or more goals in five of their prior six at home to put themselves at the top of the pile in finding the net this season. Mikko Rantanen needs three points for back-to-back 100-point seasons and a single goal to hit 40. He is off the pace he set last year in terms of lightning the lamp but he has a career-high in assists. 

The Rangers are the first team to guarantee themselves a spot in the postseason as they topped 100 points with a 6-5 overtime win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday. They went to a shootout to top the Florida Panthers 4-3 the game before so they have found a way to take the two points in close games. The goals are flowing at both ends of the ice in recent games for them, averaging 8.14 total goals per game in their last seven. They are missing Jacob Truba and Ryan Lindgren on the blue line with Erik Gustafsson adding to their injury woes, not playing against the Flyers. Vinny Trocheck has back-to-back three-point games, centring the second line with Artemi Panarin (eight points in his last three games) to his left having a career year.