Rangers vs Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks welcome the New York Rangers riding a three-game winning streak that followed a brutal 0-8-1 skid, while New York just snapped a five-game losing streak but is still 2-6 over its last eight heading into this West Coast stop. ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nhl/team/schedule/_/name/ana)) On the injury front, Anaheim will again be without breakout star Leo Carlsson for several weeks after his thigh procedure, and depth forward Jansen Harkins remains out, but the Ducks still roll out a deep, active roster featuring Mikael Granlund, Ryan Strome and Carlsson’s supporting cast as confirmed on ESPN. ([nhl.com](https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-status-report-news-and-notes-january-16-2026?utm_source=openai)) New York’s losses are more structural: Adam Fox has been placed on LTIR and Igor Shesterkin on IR, stripping the Rangers of their No. 1 defenseman and Vezina-caliber starter and forcing a heavier load on Jonathan Quick behind a team already allowing over three goals per game. ([prohockeyrumors.com](https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2026/01/new-york-rangers-to-place-adam-fox-on-ltir-igor-shesterkin-on-ir.html?utm_source=openai)) Historically this matchup tilts slightly toward New York in wins, but Anaheim has been very competitive in the series and just beat the Rangers 4-1 at Madison Square Garden last month, leaning on Lukas Dostal and a heavy blue line, while Mika Zibanejad’s excellent career production against Anaheim (26 points in 21 games) hasn’t been enough to cover for the current roster holes. ([sports-reference.com](https://www.sports-reference.com/stathead/hockey/vs/anaheim-ducks-vs-new-york-rangers?utm_source=openai)) With both clubs past the 41-game mark and fighting on the playoff bubble, Anaheim’s recent form, home-ice advantage at Honda Center and the sheer impact of New York’s injuries push me to back the Ducks at -138 on the moneyline; I’d grade this wager a B+ for a solid mix of win probability and moderate juice. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 19/01/2026 09:54

New York’s recent slide has been driven as much by defensive leaks as scoring droughts, with blowout losses to Ottawa, Boston and Buffalo in the last couple of weeks before a get-right night in Philadelphia, while Anaheim’s season has swung from an 11-3-1 start to that nine-game winless streak and now a three-game heater, a volatility profile that tends to create wide-open, high-event games. ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nhl/team/_/name/nyr/new-york-rangers)) The Ducks have scored 149 goals and allowed 169 through 46 games, ranking top-third in offense but near the bottom defensively, and their contests are averaging just under seven total goals; the Rangers sit at 2.65 goals for and 3.06 against per game, with a respectable power play around 23% but middle-of-the-pack penalty kill, suggesting special teams can also contribute to the scoreboard. ([hockey-reference.com](https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/ANA/2026_injuries.html?utm_source=openai)) From an injury perspective, losing Shesterkin and Fox simultaneously materially weakens New York’s ability to suppress chances, whereas Carlsson’s absence dings Anaheim’s top-end finishing but leaves plenty of support scoring from names like Cutter Gauthier, Beckett Sennecke, Troy Terry and Mason McTavish, all of whom have been driving offense in recent weeks. ([cbssports.com](https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/gametracker/boxscore/NHL_20251215_ANA%40NYR/?utm_source=openai)) In the head-to-head file, these franchises historically combine for roughly 5.8 goals per meeting, and their most recent clash ended 4-1 for Anaheim with Shesterkin playing and Carlsson available; shifting to backup goaltending for New York and a leaky Ducks blue line raises the ceiling for this rematch. ([sports-reference.com](https://www.sports-reference.com/stathead/hockey/vs/anaheim-ducks-vs-new-york-rangers?utm_source=openai)) With both teams hovering around the playoff cut line after 41 games and desperate for points, I expect coaches to lean heavily on their top offensive units in what projects as a track meet more often than a grindfest, so I’ll take Over 6.5 at -125 and grade it a B given the strong offensive indicators but relatively high total. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 19/01/2026 09:54

Given that Anaheim just handled the Rangers 4-1 on the road in December and now returns home with three straight wins behind Lukas Dostal and Ville Husso, the Ducks’ ability to run away with games when their forecheck rolls is real, especially against a Rangers group that has recently absorbed multi-goal losses to several Eastern contenders. ([cbssports.com](https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/gametracker/boxscore/NHL_20251215_ANA%40NYR/?utm_source=openai)) The key injury imbalance again matters on the puckline: Anaheim is missing its top scorer in Carlsson and depth winger Harkins, but New York is down its elite puck-moving anchor in Fox and its starting goalie in Shesterkin, leaving a patched-up blue line and older backup to deal with a Ducks team that has shown the ability to generate rush chances and exploit defensive miscues. ([nhl.com](https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-status-report-news-and-notes-january-16-2026?utm_source=openai)) With the Ducks sitting slightly above .500 and trying to solidify a Pacific Division playoff spot while the Rangers are below .500 and chasing from the bottom of the Metro, score effects also tilt toward Anaheim being more willing to push for insurance markers and empty-net looks, particularly at home in the late stages if they lead. ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/47620958/nhl-power-rankings-2025-26-best-teams-standings-best-stats-projections-pace-fantasy-hockey-mvp)) That profile—home favorite with current momentum, opponent travel fatigue on a long road swing and structural injuries on New York’s back end—makes Ducks -1.5 at 162 an appealing plus-money stab, though the inherent variance of needing a multi-goal win keeps this at a B- grade rather than something higher. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 19/01/2026 09:54