The 2009 NHL Playoffs start tonight, April 15, with the Washington Capitals hosting the NY Rangers in a fierce Eastern Conference matchup. The Capitals beat the Rangers three out of four games, but that was before they fired Tom Renney and replaced him with John Tortorella and they’ve added Nik Antropov, Derek Morris and Sean Avery to the mix. NHL oddsmakers at Sportsbook.com have the Capitals as -175 moneyline favs over the Rangers (+155) with the over/under set at 5.5 goals. Be sure to get your NHL Playoffs Washington Capitals vs NY Rangers Prediction in now at Sportsbook.com
The Rangers finished just above .500 under their new coach and they’ll use their No.1 penalty kill to try and slow down the Caps killer power play. They’ll have to depend on goalie Henrik Lundqvist who has a 2.80 GAA against the Caps in four meetings. Marcus Naslund leads the Rangers with 24 goals while Scott Gomez leads his team with 59pts. The Rangers finished their regular season winning three straight, but on the road in their last five games they are 1-4 where they were outscored 13-17. On the road they average 2.27 GAG and they give up an average 2.93 GAG. In their last five games they’ve averaged 2.20 GAG and allowed an average 2.00 GAG. A newcomer to the Rangers-Capitals mix is Sean Avery, the well-known agitator who loves to get under an opponent's skin, especially someone like Ovechkin. "Just ignore him," Ovechkin said. "He likes to talk."
The Capitals will utilize their No.2 power play and Alex Ovechkin’s excellent scoring capabilities that netted him 56 goals this season. Goalie Jose Theodore has a 2.20 GAA against the Rangers in four meetings. Ovechkin leads the Caps with 110pts and 56 goals. The Caps finished their regular season winning three of their last five games and winning four of their last five home games, where they outscored their opponents 25-19. At home they average 3.46 GAG and they allow an average 2.93 GAG. In their last five games they are 3-2 where they’ve averaged 4.40 GAG and allowed 4.00 GAG. Ovechkin's shadow for much of the game will be defenseman Marc Staal. They are two physical players who know each other well. "I think if you get physical with him, and also with guys like Alexander Semin and Nicklas Backstrom, kind of get them frustrated and off their game a little bit, as much as we can, we have to do it. Maybe getting it in the back of his mind that he's going to get hit every time he shoots it or comes down the wing. That's what we want."
Recent Trends to Consider:
- Under is 7-2 in the last 9 meetings in Washington.
- Home team is 20-6-1 in the last 27 meetings.
- Favorite is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings.
- Rangers are 1-5 in the last 6 meetings.
- Rangers are 0-4 in the last 4 meetings in Washington.
NHL Playoffs Washington Capitals vs NY Rangers Prediction
When: Wed, April 15, 2009 7:00 PM ET
Line: Sportsbook.com
Pick: Caps -175
Point-Spreads.com NHL Playoffs Washington Capitals vs NY Rangers Prediction
The Bottom Line: The Caps have too much offense for the Rangers to handle, but the big question is how will Sean Avery affect the Caps. Go Caps! Be sure to get your NHL Playoff Washington Capitals vs NY Rangers Prediction in now at Sportsbook.com and receive a 10% sign-up bonus on your initial deposit!
