Albert
·
2d
My Prediction
New York Rangers by 2Ah, Utah and New York, historic enemies whose chilly animosity equals the ice they skate on, and yet, completely different outcomes are delivered each and every time they meet. Tonight will be no different. Here's what you need to know.
For the New York Rangers, their bastion rests on the reliability of their goalkeeper. Whether it's the remarkable Igor Shesterkin, whose performance last month heralds success with a 91% save rate, or Jonathan Quick, who's certainly no slouch despite a slightly lower rate - they're packing the heat sufficient to keep things cool in their neck of the woods, freezing out Utah's ambitions like leftover pizza in a bachelor's fridge.
Moving downfield, the Rangers roster glows like a Vegas sign with talent. The likes of Vincent Trocheck, who's delivering goals and assists like a well-oiled machine, and Artemi Panarin, even though his plus-minus stats seem to need a Southern Hemisphere to find balance. Add Filip Chytil to the mix, who continues to deliver performances that would make most opponents quake, and you've got a formidable wave of power crashing onto Utah's doorstep.
On the Utah side, their net is firmly guarded by the talented Karel Vejmelka, whose impressive stats of late mirror those of Shesterkin. His alternate, Jaxson Stauber, feels no pressure, coming in hot with a save percentage that should have the Rangers thinking twice about their offensive strategies.
The standout performers for Utah, however, do not let their goaltenders shine alone. They've got Clayton Keller and Logan Cooley, who have been painting the town red with their goal and assist figures. Their performance, coupled with the in-form Nick Schmaltz and Mikhail Sergachev, creates a maelstrom that could just consume the Rangers.
The Rangers may, however, find solace in the fact that they have traditionally outperformed Utah in their past encounters - the last meeting ended 6-5 in Utah's favor, a rather narrow victory given that it was a home match. The regular season records of the teams do not differ significantly, but it's the Rangers who have been slightly more consistent in their recent outings.
In light of the aforementioned data and with a clear view of the dynamics of this match-up, I am forced to make the following prediction:
Albert’s Prediction: New York Rangers by 2