Igor Shesterkin and the New York Rangers welcome Sergei Bobrovsky and the Florida Panthers to the Big Apple for Game 1 of the NHL's 2024 Eastern Conference Final on Wednesday. The Presidents' Trophy-winner Rangers nearly coughed up a 3-0 series lead against the Carolina Hurricanes in Round 2 but held on to defeat them in six games. The Panthers are coming off of their own six-game round, defeating the Boston Bruins for a second straight year.
Opening faceoff at Madison Square Garden is set for 8 p.m. ET. Florida is a -113 favorite (risk $113 to win $100) on the money line in the latest Rangers vs. Panthers odds from SportsLine consensus while New York is a -108 underdog. The over/under for total goals scored is 5.5 and Florida is a -1.5 (+226) favorite on the puck line. Before making any Rangers vs. Panthers picks, you need to check out the NHL predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
SportsLine's model simulates every NHL game 10,000 times, taking into account factors like current form, individual matchups, injuries and short- and long-term trends when making NHL picks. It entered the 2024 NHL playoffs on a 7-4 run on top-rated puck-line picks.
Now, the model has set its sights on Rangers vs. Panthers and just locked in its NHL picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the latest NHL odds and trends for Panthers vs. Rangers:
- Rangers vs. Panthers money line: New York -108, Florida -113
- Rangers vs. Panthers over/under: 5.5 goals
- Rangers vs. Panthers puck line: Florida -1.5 (+226)
- NYR: Shesterkin made 45-plus saves in back-to-back games
- FLA: Won two out of three regular-season games against the Rangers
- Rangers vs. Panthers picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why you should back the Panthers
While the spotlight will be on goaltending this series, the Panthers will also impose their physicality to set the tone in Game 1. The Panthers will be confident knowing they already defeated New York twice in the regular season, and they are rolling four lines to find the back of the net. The defense is also tough to go up against, as blueliners like Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour are just as comfortable setting up goals as they are knocking an opponent off of the puck.
Bobrovsky, however, still can have massive impact in Game 1. He had better numbers than Shesterkin through the regular season and matches his fellow countryman with eight wins in postseason play. Bobrovsky is Florida's final line of defense and he has risen to the occasion in these playoffs. See who to back at SportsLine.
Why you should back the Rangers
Shesterkin will be tasked with standing up against Bobrovsky on the other side of the ice, and he has shown through these playoffs that he is up to the challenge. He is battle-tested after making 45-plus saves in back-to-back postseason tilts against the Hurricanes, including a 54-save effort in a double-overtime victory.
New York has also relied heavily on its top line of Mika Zibanejad (14 points), Vincent Trocheck (14 points) and Chris Kreider (10 points). However the Rangers are also strong on special teams, with a power play that is clicking at 31.4%. If they can force Florida's physicality into penalty trouble, they should have no trouble finding the back of the net. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Rangers vs. Panthers picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 6.2 combined goals. It also says one side of the money line is the better value. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Rangers vs. Panthers, and which side of the money line is the better value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Panthers vs. Rangers money line to jump on Wednesday, all from the advanced model that has simulated this matchup 10,000 times.
