posted April 18, 2008 at 15:40 in NHL Free Picks

New York Rangers (42-27-13) vs. New Jersey Devils (46-29-7)

Friday, April 18th --- Prudential Center, New Jersey --- 7:30pm EST

Series Record: NYR 3-1

NHL Betting Line: New Jersey -120

You can say that the Devils are renowned for their defense all you want. I won’t believe it until I see it in this series and nether should my online ice hockey betting faithful. New York has had their way with the Devils, taking complete control of every single game whlie demoralizing the Devils betting faithful. On top of that, the total has gone OVER in 4 of the last 5 games when the Devils and Rangers have clashed.

Even Martin Brodeur has to be getting pissy about the goings-on in front of his crease. With Sean Avery chirping in his ear and Jaromir Jagr bowling him over like a set of pins, Brodeur has implored his team to play stingier defense and somewhat resemble the team that only allowed 2.40 goals against per game.

But the truth is that the Devils are simply outclassed in this series. Zach Parise had 65 points to lead the Devils this season, while team leader Patrik Elias had 55 points. That’s great and all, but the team only averaged 2.51 goals per game.

In contrast, the Rangers had Jaromir Jagr and Scott Gomez, who both notched 70+ points, while Drury notched 58 points for himself. From top to bottom, the Rangers are filled with the ideal amount of veterans, playmakers and role players.

Jaromir Jagr is a beast, and I’m not going to beat the dead horse because we all know what he’s capable of as a playmaker on the thin sheet. And with Scott Gomez and Drury distributing the puck efficiently (they combined for 87 assists this season) the Rangers look ridiculous offensively.

Of course, they have a few defensive short comings. But Paul Mara and Marek Malik are huge guys, and can effectively bully opposing forwards and both are exceptional at blocking shots. Then there’s Michal Rozsival, who notched 38 points and had an even plus-minus.

And Henrik Lundqvist is a monster between the iron pillars. With a ridiculous 2.23 goals against average, and a .912 save percentage, Lundqvist is evolving in to the premier, big city goalie that New York has been begging for.

So the talent is there. But do you know what else is? The physicality – a dangerous element in the playoffs. The Rangers are a BIG team. They can bully nearly anyone on the ice with their size. And the worst part for their on-ice nemeses (I looked it up…it’s “nemeses”, not “nemisi” or “nemisis”…moving on) is that they punish you physically, mentally and where it counts – on the scoreboard.

The Penguins have youth, talent and a sizzling offense. The Habs have the best team chemistry in the Eastern Conference and perhaps the best fans in the world. But the Rangers have veteran leadership and scoring flare, combined with a nasty side that will bury your teeth in to the back of your throat. That’s why this is a betting bandwagon that you should hop on board with. Especially if you like money.

NHL Free Pick: NYR +100 (OVER)

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