Online Sports Betting OverviewAs the NCAA basketball betting continues and the 2011 NHL trade deadline approaches, every point in the NHL standings counts. When teams close in the conference standings get a chance to face each other, those games become highly contested. The New York Rangers currently sit in seventh place in the Eastern Conference only two points ahead of the eighth place Carolina Hurricanes. This game is extremely important.
To this point, all of the teams involved in the melee for the last two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference are not helping their own causes. Every team from the seventh place Rangers down to the 10th place Atlanta Thrashers are on losing streaks. It looks like the team that can put together a respectable winning streak could secure its playoff future.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes have had the ninth place Buffalo Sabres and 10th place Thrashers breathing down their necks for two weeks now. The Sabres are unable to cash in on their current six-game home stand as they have lost the first three games. The Thrashers were well within reach of Carolina until the bottom fell out in Atlanta and the Thrashers went on a stretch where they only won two of 10 games.
The Hurricanes are 3-5-2 in their last 10 games, but they are 15-10-2 at home. The Canes had a chance to broaden their lead for the last playoff spot by six points if they could have beaten the surging New Jersey Devils. But the Hurricanes lost to the Devils and they lost in Carolina. Goaltending has started to become a problem with the Hurricanes, but the coaching staff is confident that Cam Ward can get back into form and the Hurricanes can start putting wins together again.
New York Rangers
The Rangers looked like they were ready to make a run to the top of the Eastern Conference and then the wheels came off. In their last 10 games the Rangers are 2-7-1 and are riding a two-game losing streak. However, the Rangers are 17-13-1 on the road and are still getting excellent goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist. It seems like the Rangers go through stretches where they cannot score goals, and they are currently in one of those streaks now.
The Rangers have been all over the map in this year’s NHL standings. They have been in the top part of the playoff race, and they have fallen dangerously close to being out of the playoffs. Their inconsistency is strange considering how much of a task-master head coach John Tortorella can be. The Rangers need this game to get back into a winning groove and head back up the Eastern Conference standings.
The Bottom Line
These two teams have been inconsistent all season long. But the Rangers have shown an ability to bounce back on the road. The Hurricanes may be feeling the pressure of trying to maintain the final playoff spot and could be starting to fade.
BSNblog Pick: New York Rangers
