Call On Rangers to Trip Up Panthers, Cover in Tight Low-Scoring Matchup

Monday has a smaller than normal NHL slate as the calendar whines down on 2025 but we still get to watch three entertaining matchups that should deliver some exciting games.

The Panthers look to rebound after two straight losses when hosting a Rangers team that has circulated through the news frequently this season as they are coming off a President's trophy win last season and has since turned into a dumpster fire, winning just four of their last 18 games. They have the worst record in the NHL during that span and will desperately look for a much needed win on Monday.

We hope to continue building on some of our impressive records and stay hot like our correct pick Sunday with Dallas' Matt Duchene finding the scoresheet.

All betting lines are from Bet365 and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

Bet: Rangers Panthers Under 6.0 goals (-110), Rangers +1.5 (-140)

New York has cost a lot of betters money as they've been brutal this season against the spread with a league-worst 11-24 record. They've covered one of their last ten games and are still struggling to keep games close as an underdog with three straight losses.

The defending Stanley Cup Champion Panthers have picked up where they left off as they rep a 22-13-2 record and are tied for the sixth-best offence, averaging 3.35 goals per game this season. The public is all over the Panthers in this spot as they've garnered 88 per cent of moneyline bets and 68 per cent of the spread bets with people likely expecting a blowout with 88 per cent of people taking the over in total goals at six.

This feels like a great opportunity for the Rangers to play up to their opponent as they still have a solid netminder in Igor Shesterkin. The Russian netminder has a 4-3-0 record against the Cats in his career but has managed to keep games low-scoring with a 2.87 goals against average and a .915 save percentage.

I expect sportsbooks to really feed on this matchup and get a strange game result with the Rangers keeping this one tight like they have in the past during this matchup. The Panthers have beat the Rangers four straight times but in three of the defeats, New York did keep it within one score. The Rangers are due for at least a puck line cover and they should get one in a surprising spot on Monday.