Who would have thought that Taylor Raddysh would lead the Rangers in goals at any point in the season?
The physical depth winger’s game-tying goal in the Rangers’ 4-3 overtime win over the Oilers was his fifth.
This is a testament to how much this team has needed to rely on secondary scoring while the top-six skill players skate for cardio.
I previously wrote that the Rangers are due for positive scoring regression ahead of that game, despite a low goal total against one of the NHL’s most dangerous offenses.
For the first two periods, it was the same sleepwalking offense that led to another couple of empty power plays, which the Rangers are now 4-for-30 on.
They subsequently delivered their strongest 5-on-5 period of the season with four high danger chances and a pair of goals from Raddysh and Braden Schneider in the final frame.
Unsung heroes are cashing in for the Rangers, but that said, this is now a top-five team in both expected goals rate and puck possession at 5-on-5, per MoneyPuck.
As much as the Rangers have underperformed, they cap off their Pacific Northwest road trip against a club that has overperformed.
The Kraken are 5-2-3 despite ranking No. 29 overall in expected goals rate, shots per game and penalty kill.
Lane Lambert has installed more structure and defensive accountability with a formidable blue line that features a couple of capable puck movers.
Betting on the NHL?
Similar to the Rangers, this team relies too much on goaltending with three guys that have combined for a .902 save percentage.
Dissimilar to the Rangers, there is no elite scoring potential at the top of their lineup or enough reliable depth to compensate for it.
While the Rangers’ depth forwards are contributing, their top six are due to find rhythm at any point; Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller both rank within the league’s top-30 players in expected goals.
Here’s where the Rangers’ moneyline price really looks discounted: per Natural Stat Trick, no team has generated a higher high danger chance percentage than the Blueshirts, whereas the Kraken’s is the league-low.
THE PLAY: Rangers (-134, FanDuel)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Sean Treppedi handicaps the NFL, NHL, MLB and college football for the New York Post. He primarily focuses on picks that reflect market value while tracking trends to mitigate risk.
