NHL betting preview (Feb. 7): Penguins vs. Rangers odds
Join Daily Faceoff’s Andy MacNeil as he handicaps Friday’s Metropolitan Division matchup between the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers.
Penguins vs. Rangers Odds
- Pittsburgh Penguins Moneyline: +170
- New York Rangers Moneyline: -210
- Puck Line: Penguins +1.5 (-150), Lightning -1.5 (+125)
- Game Total: 6 (Over +100, Under -120)
Game odds via Sports Interaction.
Handicapping the Penguins (22-33 SU, 27-28 ATS, 28-24-3 O/U)
Pittsburgh will look to bounce back from Tuesday’s 3-2 shootout loss to the New Jersey Devils, but the Penguins will be without two key players when they visit Madison Square Garden to take on the Rangers on Friday.
Evgeni Malkin has missed the last four games following his early exit against the Seattle Kraken on Jan. 25. He suffered a lower-body injury in a collision with forward Chandler Stephenson and is now considered week-to-week.
Meanwhile, Sidney Crosby was involved in another collision in Tuesday’s loss to the Devils. Although he skated on his own Friday, the Penguins’ captain will not be in the lineup against the Rangers. That said, Team Canada is cautiously optimistic that Crosby will be ready to captain Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Pittsburgh has been an average offensive team this season, ranking 16th in goals per 60 minutes, but the Penguins have struggled to score lately. Over the past month, they rank 26th in goals per 60 minutes. Given that Crosby leads the team with 58 points in 55 games and Malkin ranks fifth in scoring with 34 points in 47 games, their absences put the Penguins in a tough spot.
Defensively, Pittsburgh has done a better job keeping pucks out of the net since waiving goaltender Tristan Jarry, but its underlying metrics remain concerning. The Penguins have allowed 3.32 expected goals per 60 minutes, yet they’ve managed to allow fewer actual goals than all but four teams. That may not be sustainable given their mediocre defensive play.
Handicapping the Rangers (26-27 SU, 21-32 ATS, 24-27-2 O/U)
New York will look to cap off its three-game homestand with a third straight win on Friday, and as a heavy moneyline favorite, it has a strong chance to do so.
The Rangers will be at a slight rest disadvantage, but considering the injuries to Pittsburgh’s top two stars and their dominant 10-2 edge in scoring over two previous meetings this season, they should manage just fine.
Igor Shesterkin will start for the Rangers, and while his traditional stats—wins, save percentage, and goals against average—haven’t been outstanding, he has been solid. In fact, Shesterkin ranks third in goals saved above expected, according to Evolving Hockey.
Alex Nedeljkovic has been good for the Penguins, but when factoring in shot quality, he’s been closer to average. In other words, the Rangers have a clear edge in goal.
New York also has a big advantage offensively. Since Jan. 1, the Rangers rank fourth in goals per 60 minutes, while Pittsburgh sits among the bottom five. The Penguins have had a better power play than the Rangers this season, but since the start of 2025, New York has climbed to eighth in power play percentage.
Both teams have struggled on the penalty kill in 2025, but the Rangers have been the better shorthanded team over the full season.
Best bet for Penguins vs. Rangers
- New York Rangers Puck Line -1.5 (+125) at Sports Interaction
The Rangers have won seven of the past 10 meetings with the Penguins, including playoffs, and New York is 6-2 in the regular season versus Pittsburgh since Mar. 16, 2023. The Rangers have also covered the puck line in five of their past seven games against the Penguins.