Home Team Finally Will Win A Game

Rangers vs. Devils, 7:30 ET

I dropped another hockey play yesterday here on Outkick and not only did it not win, but I predicted a puck line victory from the Boston Bruins and they lost in overtime. So, not only was I wrong, I was wrong about the winner of the game. Still, we have a bit of a runway for if I do happen to lose a game or two because the playoffs have started hot. Let's look to rebound in the game between the Rangers and Devils.

The New York Rangers do have a bit of a rooting interest in my own mind and heart. I am not a huge hockey fan or something, but being in Chicago, I do root for Patrick Kane. He's only put one goal in the net for the Rangers, but he has at least one assist in each game. This series is currently tied and they are matched up fairly well. Something interesting about the series is that each team that lost the game has only scored one goal in the game. So whichever team wins is playing great defense. Also, the home team has lost every game in this series. The Rangers have played really solid defense in this series and have only allowed seven goals in four games, but they still have just two wins to show for it. They need the offense to start making some progress if they want to steal this game.

New York Rangers take on the New Jersey Devils in Game 5 of a 2-2 series. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Devils Defense Leading The Way

The Devils are surprising me a little bit with how well they played the past two games. After they switched goalies to Akira Schmid, they were able to put two wins on the board. He has only allowed one goal in each game. Something that impressed me in Game 4 was not that he stopped 22 of 23 shots, it was more that his defense helped stop the Rangers from getting many shots at all. Sure, the game went to overtime, but he faced 36 shots in the first game he was in. The Devils needed to switch it up from Vitek Vanecek and it may have saved the series. If they keep up this defense it will be really hard for the Rangers to win.

It is hard to hold a dominant offense down, but if a goalie is standing on their head, they almost can't be beaten. Support that goalie with solid defense and it is almost impossible for a team to win. I can't go against the Devils right now even though this is a coinflip of a game. The Rangers are very good on the road, but I'll take the Devils at -120.

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