David Pastrnak, renowned as one of the NHL’s elite goal scorers, has recently faced a scoring drought, going six consecutive games without finding the net. However, there’s optimism that Pastrnak can turn this around in the upcoming match against the New York Rangers.
In the anticipated matchup scheduled for Friday afternoon, key predictions suggest that Pastrnak may capitalize on a favorable power play scenario. The Rangers, while showing solid defensive performance at even strength, are struggling on the penalty kill, ranked 29th in shot suppression and 30th in expected goals when short-handed. This presents Pastrnak with a noteworthy opportunity.
Historically, he has been a dominant force on the power play, boasting an impressive total of 60 shot attempts, nearly double that of any teammate. His ability to convert on power plays sets him apart, as he leads the league in power play shots on goal. Given the Rangers’ recent struggles—sitting 26th in goals allowed and yielding a significant number of quality chances—it is reasonable to expect Pastrnak will find opportunities to score.
In addition to Pastrnak, Pavel Zacha has been effective, recording eight assists in just 12 home games, while routinely playing alongside Pastrnak. On the Rangers’ side, defenseman Adam Fox has also been active, averaging 5.6 shot attempts per game, which should be advantageous given that the Bruins have allowed the sixth most shots to defensemen in their last 10 games.
For those interested in placing bets, the predicted best bets for the game include Pastrnak scoring over 0.5 goals, Zacha accumulating over 0.5 assists, and Fox achieving over 1.5 shots on goal.
As fans gear up for this exciting matchup between the Bruins and Rangers, the Boston team will be keen to leverage their strong power play capabilities, and perhaps finally help Pastrnak break his scoring slump. The game will take place at TD Garden in Boston, with the puck set to drop at 1:00 p.m. ET.