The New York Rangers were able to go on the road and pull out a convincing win over the New Jersey Devils in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but New Jersey will have to have a short memory. The Devils take home ice once again on Thursday night with a chance to settle the score and avoid being down 0-2 before the series even shifts to Madison Square Garden. The Rangers-Devils NHL odds & bets show a closer contest should be in store for Game 2.
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Best Rangers-Devils Game 2 NHL Bets: Devils Look to Get Even
DraftKings Sportsbook has the Devils (-135) as a slight moneyline favorite over the Rangers (+115). Readers looking to take one of the moneylines can benefit from a Draftkings promo offering new users $150 in bet credits with any 5$ moneyline wager.
There was no other way to sugarcoat Game 1 for the Devils, who will just have to deem the game a clunker and move one. The inexperienced group looked flustered from puck drop, going down early when veteran forward Vladimir Tarasenko opened the scoring for the Rangers. It did not get any easier from there, as New Jersey quickly dug itself into a 0-2 hole before the first intermission. They would go on to lose 5-1.
“You got your first taste,’’ Devils head coach Lindy Ruff told his players after the game (per NY Post). “It was the first playoff game for a lot of players, first pro playoff game for a lot of them,’’ Ruff said. “And until you live it, until you’re actually out there, you don’t have that experience. The playoffs is always a different picture, so adjustments to your game are always made. We talked about it before this series started: how to put away wins and how to put away losses and take what you can from losses and move on.’’
There is reason to believe Ruff is right not to push the panic button after just one sloppy game. The Devils proved time and time again during the regular season that they can rebound from some adversity. In completing a drastic turnaround from the year before, the Devils went an impressive 52-22-8, earning the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference Metropolitan Division.
New Jersey also played the Rangers well during the regular season, going 3-0-1 against their division rival. The Devils won their last five home games during the regular season before the playoffs, and there is a lot of reason to believe they can bounce back on Thursday night.
Sure, the Rangers are the more experienced team. But the Devils should be able to make this a long series given their star power. Look for them to make a statement on home ice in Game 2, proving that there is a lot of hockey left to be played before one of these two skilled teams moves on to the second round.
Bettors should use OddsShopper tools throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs to find the best value on moneylines, spreads and player props!
Best NHL Bets: Devils Moneyline (-135 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
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