The New York Rangers' faint playoff aspirations hang in the balance as they face a Carolina Hurricanes squad looking to snap a four-game skid at PNC Arena this Saturday.
While the Blueshirts exploded for nine goals against the Islanders in their last outing, they've been outscored 11-4 in their three previous meetings with the Canes this season—a concerning trend for a team that must win out to have any shot at postseason hockey.
The stage is set for what could be a desperate Rangers team playing with nothing to lose against a Carolina Hurricanes squad that's been nearly unstoppable at home with a stellar 30-8-1 record.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Rangers prediction: who will win?
For tonight's Carolina Hurricanes vs New York Rangers matchup, our predictive model gives the Hurricanes a 52.5% chance of defeating the Rangers.
Pre-game probabilities
Carolina Hurricanes
Moneyline
Win %
52.5%
47.5%
New York Rangers
Carolina Hurricanes: 52.5% win probability
- Strong defensive structure (Only 215 goals against compared to Rangers' 245)
- Better overall season performance (46 wins to Rangers' 37 wins)
- Superior point accumulation (97 points in 78 games versus 81 points in 79 games for Rangers)
New York Rangers: 47.5% win probability
- Defensive vulnerabilities (245 goals against, ranking them 10th in Eastern Conference)
- Inconsistent form (Recent form of WLLLW shows lack of consistency)
- Lower winning percentage (Rangers have won only 37 games compared to Hurricanes' 46)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model combines insights from top NHL experts. Instead of sifting through hundreds of expert analyses across the web, you can rely on our predictions to understand the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing predictions, data, and opinions, and our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. We then average these levels to produce an 'expert opinion' win probability—reflecting the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NHL experts..
| Carolina Hurricanes | New York Rangers | |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline |
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Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Rangers preview
The Metropolitan Division clash between the red-hot Rangers and slumping Hurricanes at PNC Arena promises plenty of fireworks Saturday afternoon, with New York fighting to keep their faint playoff hopes alive after throttling the Islanders 9-2 on Thursday night.
Carolina's been sleepwalking into the postseason with four straight losses, but they've had the Rangers' number this season, outscoring them 11-4 while winning all three previous matchups.
Keep an eye on Rangers' Artemi Panarin, who's coming off a two-goal performance against the Islanders, while Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis continue to drive Carolina's offense with clutch late-game heroics in their recent shootout loss to Washington.
The goaltending battle should be fascinating with Igor Shesterkin likely getting the nod for New York after making 44 saves Thursday, while Carolina's expected to counter with Pyotr Kochetkov rather than Frederik Andersen who faced Washington.
The contrast couldn't be more stark between Carolina's dominant 30-8-1 home record and New York's desperate need to win out and pray for Montreal to collapse if they want any shot at the playoffs.
Both teams have been offensive juggernauts lately – New York's averaging 3.9 goals over their last ten while Carolina's putting up 3.77 per game at home – making the over a tempting bet for Saturday's showdown.
The Rangers' defensive struggles (giving up 3.9 goals per game recently with six games allowing 4+ goals) could be their undoing against a Hurricanes team eager to snap their losing streak before the playoffs begin.
Much as I hate betting against a team fighting for their playoff lives, Carolina's stellar home record and psychological edge from their season sweep make them the smart pick to finish off New York's postseason dreams once and for all.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Rangers form
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Rangers head to head
Carolina Hurricanes
83%
New York Rangers
17%
Jan 29, 2025
New York Rangers
0 : 4
Carolina Hurricanes
Dec 22, 2024
New York Rangers
1 : 3
Carolina Hurricanes
Nov 28, 2024
Carolina Hurricanes
4 : 3
New York Rangers
May 16, 2024
Carolina Hurricanes
3 : 5
New York Rangers
May 13, 2024
New York Rangers
1 : 4
Carolina Hurricanes
May 11, 2024
Carolina Hurricanes
4 : 3
New York Rangers
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