Vancouver Canucks vs. New York Rangers Prediction, Picks, Preview & Odds - 2/27/2022

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Where to watch: MSG, SNP

DraftKings: Check back later

BetMGM: Check back later

Caesars: Check back later

Canucks: 25-22-6

Rangers: 33-14-5 

The Pacific division continues to look more crowded by the day and the longer this goes it might benefit the Vancouver Canucks in that degree.

The Canucks have found a new identity under new coach Bruce Boudreau and have suddenly found themselves only five points out of a potential playoff spot in the Pacific division. Which if you were to ask me many months ago if that was even possible, I would probably try and take your lunch money.

But the Canucks will try to keep their strong play going when they visit the New York Rangers on Sunday night in Madison Square Garden. Vancouver has won four of its past five and probably had the most emphatic victory post All-Star break when they defeated the Calgary Flames by an astonishing score of 7-1.

JT Miller, who many believe will be traded before the March 21st trade deadline, had two goals and two assists for Vancouver in what was a five goal second period for the home team. Elias Pettersson also had two goals in an assist and captain Bo Horvat had two goals as well.

Considering how talented the Canucks have been for the longest time I sit back and wonder why in the world Travis Miller could not get this team in a consistent way through the course of a long season. The Canucks are the team that ended Calgary’s 10 game winning streak and did so in a fashion that I don't think many people believed was even possible.

Between the strong play of its forwards and the incredible play of goaltender Thatcher demko, Vancouver is looking very good right now and a lot of people are not talking about them in terms of making a run for a playoff spot. A lot can change when you get a new coach and a lot can change when you have a philosophy that actually works. In that time, Vancouver looks like a brand new team and things could not have gone any better.

That same ideology can go for the New York Rangers who have been tremendous this season in their first year under new coach Gerard Gallant.

The Rangers aren't playing like a top tier team in the league, but they are right there in the mix when it comes to playing good hockey. New York is coming off a 4-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday at home. Alexis Lafreniere had a goal and an assist, and Mika Zibanejad also had the same for New York.

New York finds itself five points behind the Carolina Hurricanes for first place in the metropolitan division, and the way that they're getting fantastic goal scoring from the likes of Chris Kreider and terrific goaltending from Igor Shesterkin I'm not sure anybody wants to face the Rangers right now. It's been a terrific mix of All Star talent, and ridiculous balance up and down the lineup that has made them so dangerous to play. And yet I still think that the Rangers will be in the mix come the trade deadline for another forward to add to that mix.

I think this is gonna be a fun game with great goaltending and terrific scoring opportunities on both sides. At the end of the day I'm going to pick the hotter goaltender and take the home team in what should be a fantastic matchup. The Rangers are just playing out of their minds right now and I will be very intrigued to see if they can keep this pace going because hockey is better when the Rangers are really good team. Rangers win 4-2

The Canucks are 23-13 when playing five games or less in 14 days.

The Canucks are 14-5 off consecutive home wins.

The Canucks are 15-6 off a home win against a division rival.

The Rangers are 16-4 when playing their second game in five days.

The under is 16-6 this season when the Rangers play non-conference opponents.

Canucks:

Jason Dickinson -- Bo Horvat -- Brock Boeser

Tanner Pearson -- J.T. Miller -- Conor Garland

Vasily Podkolzin -- Elias Pettersson -- Nils Hoglander

Tyler Motte -- Juho Lammikko -- Matthew Highmore

Oliver Ekman-Larsson -- Tyler Myers

Quinn Hughes -- Travis Hamonic

Brad Hunt -- Luke Schenn

Thatcher Demko

Rangers:

Chris Kreider -- Mika Zibanejad -- Alexis Lafreniere

Artemi Panarin -- Ryan Strome -- Dryden Hunt

Morgan Barron -- Greg McKegg -- Julien Gauthier

Barclay Goodrow -- Kevin Rooney -- Ryan Reaves

Ryan Lindgren -- Adam Fox

K'Andre Miller -- Jacob Trouba

Zac Jones -- Braden Schneider

Igor Shesterkin

Points: J.T. Miller -- 57

Goals: J.T. Miller -- 20

Assists: J.T. Miller -- 37

Goalie: Thatcher Demko -- 22-16-2, 2.61 GAA, .917%

Points: Artemi Panarin -- 55

Goals: Chris Kreider -- 34

Assists: Adam Fox -- 42

Goalie: Igor Shesterkin -- 25-5-3, 1.98 GAA, .940 SV%