New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins: 5 Predictions for First Round

The New York Rangers will be facing the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the NHL playoffs, and now it’s time to predict what will happen in the series.

The two teams come into the series with a noticeable difference in momentum. The Penguins have been one of the hottest teams in hockey for the past few months, as they flew up into second place in the Metropolitan Division behind the Washington Capitals. The team that was ahead of the Penguins for most of the season was the Rangers, but they haven’t been playing their best hockey lately, and that cost them home-ice in the first round.

Since the two teams play in the same division they are very familiar with each other, but the Penguins hold the edge in the season series this season. In four games, the Penguins won three of the games and have also had a decent amount of success against Henrik Lundqvist.

In recent years, the Rangers have been expected to win the conference and compete for a Stanley Cup, but those expectations have been cooled this season with how well the Capitals have played this season. With the heavy expectations of New York off of their back, maybe this will be the year the Rangers will win a Stanley Cup and surprise us all. If they are going to win a Stanley Cup, they will have to get by a talented Penguins team first.

Here are five predictions for the first round of the NHL Playoffs between the Rangers and the Penguins.