Rangers vs Islanders NHL Predictions, Odds & Best Bets (4/9): Can Isles Defend Home Ice?

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After a quiet Monday, the NHL is back with a monster 13-game slate planned for Tuesday, April 9. Tonight’s schedule includes a massive 7 p.m. ET showdown between the New York Rangers (53-21-4) and New York Islanders (35-27-15) at UBS Arena.

GAME DAY. pic.twitter.com/eT3DmW7Bl9

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) April 9, 2024

The Rangers’ red-hot run continued on Sunday with a massive 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Meanwhile, the Islanders extended their winning streak to four games as Semyon Varlamov stopped all 41 shots he faced in Saturday’s 2-0 victory against the Nashville Predators.

With plenty of betting opportunities on the horizon, let’s check some of them out as we navigate my Rangers vs. Islanders NHL predictions and best bets.

Rangers vs Islanders NHL Betting Tonight (4/9)

Rangers vs Islanders Matchup Information

• Matchup: New York Rangers (53-21-4, 25-11-4 Away) vs. New York Islanders (35-27-15, 18-10-10 Home)
• Venue & Location: UBS Arena (Elmont, NY)
• Date: Tuesday, April 9, 2024
• Game Time: 7 p.m. Eastern Time
• How to Watch Rangers vs. Islanders: ESPN+, MSG+, MSGSN

Islanders vs Rangers NHL Betting Odds

Islanders vs. Rangers odds are courtesy of BetOnline as of Tuesday, April 9 at 11:13 a.m. ET. Odds from other top online sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Rangers vs Islanders Puck Line

• New York Rangers -1.5 (+200)
• New York Islanders +1.5 (-240)

Islanders vs Rangers Over/Under

• Over 5.5 Goals (-115)
• Under 5.5 Goals (-101)

Rangers vs Islanders Moneyline

• New York Rangers (-129)
• New York Islanders (+115)

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NHL Best Bets & Picks Today

Are you hoping to get in on even more NHL betting action today? Be sure to check out our NHL picks page for consensus picks for every 2023-24 game.

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Rangers vs Islanders NHL Betting Trends

• The Rangers are 5-0 straight up in their last five road games.
• The Islanders are 3-7 straight up in their last 10 games vs. the Eastern Conference.
• The total hit the Over in five of the Rangers’ last six games played in April.
• The total hit the Over in 10 of the Islanders’ last 15 games vs. the Metropolitan Division.
• The total hit the Over in five of the last six Rangers-Islanders matchups.

Rangers vs Islanders NHL Predictions & Pick (4/9): Expect Sparks to Fly

Tonight’s showdown is a massive one regarding both team’s playoff outlook.

The Rangers currently lead the Metropolitan Division with 110 points and can clinch the crown if they win combined with a Carolina Hurricanes loss. Meanwhile, the Islanders occupy the No. 3 seed in the division with 85 points, however, they have three teams — Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, and New Jersey Devils — within two points behind them.

Having said that, the Islanders have been tough to stop lately, proven by their four-game heater. Their defense and goaltending have been stellar throughout that stretch as they outscored those opponents 12-6 on aggregate while holding each of the last three foes to two or fewer goals.

The Islanders will also be rolling with Varlamov again following his 41-save shutout. He’s been one of the NHL’s best goalies since early March, going 5-1-1 with a 2.27 goals-against average, .930 save percentage, and one shutout in his last seven starts.

Semyon Varlamov records a 41-save @pepsi shutout in a HUGE win for the @NYIslanders! 🔵🟠 pic.twitter.com/1aHJ3qNXei

— NHL (@NHL) April 7, 2024

But while the Islanders have been playing well, let’s not act like the Rangers are pushovers.

After all, the Rangers pace the NHL with an impressive 81.3% point percentage since March 9, going 13-3-0 across 16 games. They outscored those opponents 64-47 on aggregate while converting on 32.5% of power play percentages while boasting an 85.4% penalty kill success rate.

For comparison, the Islanders are 7-7-1 (50.0%) during that stretch.

Let’s also not forget that the Rangers are on a three-game winning streak against the Islanders, which includes two victories so far this season.

The Rangers’ chances of extending that streak will be solid if Igor Shesterkin’s strong play continues. The Russian netminder has been one of the main reasons behind his team’s latest success, highlighted by an 8-3-0 record, 2.52 GAA, .910 SV%, and two shutouts in the last month.

Rangers G Igor Shesterkin continues to be one of the NHL’s best puck-stoppers. 

As good as the Islanders have been, I’m predicting a Rangers win tonight. The Rangers have been performing like legitimate Stanley Cup contenders and will be hungry to inch closer to clinching the division. The Islanders have struggled to beat their rivals this season, which is a trend that’ll likely continue if Shesterkin has his way.

But even if both goalies have been performing well, I still like the Over on the 5.5-goal total. Five of the last six Rangers-Islanders matchups featured six or more goals — including each of the last four.

The Over is also 10-0 in the Rangers’ last 10 Eastern Conference tilts on top of being 10-5 in the Islanders’ 15 previous divisional matchups. In other words, there’s a solid chance that we’ll see a fair bit of offense this evening.

Rangers vs Islanders NHL Prediction: NYR wins

Best Rangers vs Islanders NHL Bet: o5.5 Total Goals (-115)

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Best Rangers vs Islanders NHL Player Prop (4/9)

I like a few Rangers vs. Islanders prop bets tonight, including the Over on Alexis Lafrenière’s 2.5-shot total (-109).

Lafrenière has been coming into his own this season and the latest stretch highlights that fact. The former 2020 first-overall selection has racked up 35 shots on goal across his last 11 games, averaging 3.2 SOG per outing while finishing with the Over eight times — including in each of his last three games.

If you need more convincing, Lafrenière is also 3-2 on this prop in his last five games against the Islanders and even finished with at least three SOG in each of this season’s two previous meetings.

Considering how the Islanders surrender the third-most SOG to right wings, it’s easy to like this bet.

Best Rangers vs Islanders Prop Bet: Alexis Lafrenière o2.5 Shots on Goal (-109)

Get 50% up to $1,000 on your Rangers vs. Islanders NHL picks today over at BetOnline

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