Rangers vs Blackhawks Picks and Prediction – 1/5/2025

On Sunday, the New York Rangers (17-19-1) face off against the Chicago Blackhawks (12-24-2) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Make sure you stay up to date with all the NHL action, with our expert NHL picks.

Chicago comes into this matchup on a five-game losing streak prior to their game against Montreal. In a 6-2 defeat against the St. Louis Blues during the Winter Classic, Taylor Hall managed to net one goal for the Chicago Blackhawks. This season, Connor Bedard has been a standout player for the team, leading in total points with 33. Following him is Teuvo Teravainen, who has accumulated 24 points so far. Tyler Bertuzzi stands out as the team's top goal scorer, having found the back of the net 12 times this season. Connor Bedard is also the leading assist provider for the Blackhawks, having contributed 23 assists. The team has been struggling recently, enduring a five-game losing streak during which they have conceded an average of 5.4 goals per game. This slump has placed them at the bottom of the Central Division standings. As they prepare to face off against the New York Rangers, the Blackhawks are eager to ignite their offense. On average, Chicago scores 2.5 goals each game.

New York enters this game on a one-game winning streak, but has lost four of their last five games prior to their game against Washington. In a recent matchup against Boston, the New York Rangers celebrated a 2-1 win, with Mika Zibanejad finding the back of the net once. This season, Artemi Panarin has emerged as the top point-earner for the Rangers, having amassed a total of 39 points. Following him is Adam Fox, who is currently the second-highest point scorer for the team with 28 points. Panarin also holds the title of being the leading goal scorer for New York, netting 16 goals so far. Meanwhile, Fox excels in setting up his teammates, leading the Rangers with 27 assists this season. In their past five games, the team's defense has proven a bit leaky, allowing an average of 4 goals per game. This has led to their position being second-to-last in the Metropolitan Division standings. As the Rangers prepare to go head-to-head with the struggling Blackhawks in Chicago, they hope to turn their fortunes around. Currently, the team averages 2.8 goals per game.

Both teams find themselves struggling to regain their form and are eager for a turnaround. New York has faced challenges away from home, losing ten out of their last nineteen road games. Meanwhile, Chicago has also hit a rough patch, having lost ten of their last seventeen games played on their own court. Currently mired in a losing streak, Chicago is banking on the support of their home crowd to inject some much-needed energy into their performance. They are aiming to ignite their offense right from the start in hopes of dominating New York early in the game and regaining their competitive edge. Final Score Prediction, New York Rangers win 4-3.