If you squinted just enough during the last two weeks of Olympic hockey, it almost looked like it was the New York Rangers playing with such poise and determination.
Team USA’s jersey’s resemblance to the Blueshirts is just about the only commonality the Rangers have with the gold-medal winners, other than two players in J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck.
For as much as the last two weeks were a fever dream for the triumphal Americans, they were also a respite. Miller, Trocheck, and the Rangers will resume play back at the bottom of the NHL against the Flyers on Thursday night at MSG.
Mike Sullivan also transitions from the champion’s hangover back behind the Rangers bench.
Rangers vs. Flyers prediction, best bet
Before the league went on pause, the Rangers had opened 2026 having lost 12 of 15 games.
Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox will return from IR. Neither has played since the Rangers dropped a 3-2 overtime loss to the Mammoth on Jan. 5.
Shesterkin’s injury had opened the door for the darkest stretch in Jonathan Quick’s Hall-of-Fame career: He is 1-8-1 with a 4.22 GAA and an .852 save percentage. Before that, Shesterkin was playing his par-for-the-course show-stopping hockey, projecting a fifth-ranked 15.5 goals GSAx.
The Rangers carry on without their leading point scorer in Artemi Panarin, who was traded to the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 4 for Liam Greentree (a 2024 first-round pick) and a conditional third-round pick.
Other than maybe their 11th-ranked power play (now Panarin-less), there’s really nothing the Rangers are consistent at — other than beating the Flyers, so far. The Blueshirts and their minus-31 goal differential will look to improve to 3-0 against the Broad Street Bullies, who are minus-15.
The market has this game’s Over/Under set at 5.5, which I find peculiar considering both of the previous meetings totaled nine goals.
According to MoneyPuck, the Flyers have relinquished 20.5 goals above expected this season, fourth-highest overall. That certainly translates to their team’s save percentage of .877.
Betting on the NHL?
A lot of why this line is set low is because of how incompetent the Rangers’ offense has been at the Garden this season. That’s where the lion’s share of the damage has been done in this disastrous season; the Rangers are actually plus-4 on the road.
As underwhelming as a Flyers club led by Travis Konecny’s 54 points is, I’m playing the erratic nature of these two lost teams against one another with a whole lot of rust likely to be on display.
THE PLAY: Over 5.5 (-134, FanDuel)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Sean Treppedi handicaps the NFL, NHL, MLB and college football for the New York Post. He primarily focuses on picks that reflect market value while tracking trends to mitigate risk.