New York Rangers vs Tampa Bay Prediction 13 October 2026
π Back in early October, the Rangers cruised past Tampa Bay with a commanding 5-1 victory. Now, these teams are set to clash again at Madison Square Garden. Since that meeting, the Lightning have rattled off four straight wins, while New York have extended their home winning streak to four games as well. However, the hosts are facing major issues between the pipes: Igor Shesterkin is sidelined for the rest of the season, and Joonas Korpisalo is also out injured. Given these circumstances, it will be tough for the Rangers to replicate their recent blowout - especially against a Lightning offense thatβs hitting its stride.
Shesterkinβs Unusual Goal
π Rangers opened the season with a commanding 5-1 victory, highlighted by Igor Shesterkin's remarkable performance. The Russian netminder stopped 24 shots and capped off the night with an empty-net goal, becoming the first goaltender in club history to achieve this feat. Mika Zibanejad, Pavel Dorofeyev, Eeli Tolvanen, and Gabe Perreault also found the back of the net for New York. Tampa Bayβs lone response came from Nikita Kucherov, assisted by Ilya Mikheyev. Andrei Vasilevskiy recorded 20 saves but couldnβt prevent a heavy defeat for the Lightning. Now, the Bolts head back to New York riding a four-game winning streak.
Head-to-head statistics New York Rangers - Tampa Bay
They keep winning, but they're short on goalkeepers.
With five wins in seven games and ten points collected, the Rangers have firmly established themselves among the Metropolitan Division leaders. Mike Sullivanβs side have been flawless at home so far, winning all four of their matchups. New York are averaging 3.29 goals per game while conceding just 1.86, but maintaining those numbers will be tougher without their top goaltenders. Igor Shesterkin is out for the season, and Joonas Korpisalo is also sidelined through injury. Joseph Veleno will miss out as well. That puts plenty of responsibility on Dylan Garand, who has won both of his NHL starts to date.
In their latest outing, the Rangers put six past Vancouver, with Ty Cartier opening the scoring just 27 seconds in. Both Cartier and Will Cuylle recorded a brace, while Alexis Lafrenière and Gabe Perreault each tallied two points. In total, 11 different New York players made it onto the scoresheet. Lafrenière has now scored in three straight games, netting five goals over that span. Mika Zibanejad notched two assists, reaching the 250-point mark on the power play for the Rangers. For Garand, this win marked his second victory in as many starts - a feat only seven other rookie goaltenders in franchise history have achieved.
Match Results: New York Rangers
The heavy defeat is now in the past
After falling to the Rangers, Tampa have bounced back with four straight wins, now sitting at four victories and just one defeat. Jon Cooperβs side are averaging 3.2 goals per game, with Nikita Kucherov, Brandon Hagel, and Jake Guentzel continuing to drive the offense. However, the Lightning arenβt without injury concerns: Yanni Gourde is sidelined with a hip injury, and Emil Lilleberg is also unavailable. On the bright side, the goaltending situation is far more stable than their opponentβs. Andrei Vasilevskiy remains a rock between the pipes, recently notching his 373rd career win.
In their clash against the Islanders (5-3), Tampa nearly let a two-goal lead slip away. Guentzel scored twice, but the hosts responded with three goals in the second period to draw level. The game was ultimately decided with just 1:44 left on the clock, as Hagel put the Bolts back in front before sealing his hat trick with an empty-netter just 21 seconds later. Vasilevskiy turned aside all nine shots he faced in the final twenty minutes, including a dangerous attempt from Anthony Duclair. After the game, Cooper admitted the second period was rough, but praised his team for turning things around and securing their first road win of the season.
Match Results: Tampa Bay Lightning
Prediction for the 1st period
The Rangers have scored in the first period in seven consecutive home games. If you include all venues, their streak stands at five matches. In their most recent outing against Vancouver, the New Yorkers found the net just 27 seconds into the game, showing that their habit of starting strong remains intact. The pick here is: Rangers Individual Total Over 0.5 Goals in the First Period.
Total Goals Prediction
Seven of the last eight head-to-head clashes between the Rangers and Tampa have seen at least five goals scored. Their early October meeting ended 5-1, and both sides now come into this rematch on the back of high-scoring wins over Vancouver and the Islanders. The suggested bet is over 4.5 total goals.
Outcome Prediction
Tampa have covered the +1.5 spread in 11 of their last 12 NHL games, including six out of seven on the road. The Lightning have bounced back from their loss to the Rangers, stringing together four consecutive wins. Given the home team's ongoing issues in goal, the visitors look well positioned to avoid another heavy defeat. The pick: Tampa Bay +1.5 handicap.
βοΈ Editorβs Prediction
The Rangers are riding a four-game home winning streak, while Tampa Bay have bounced back from a slow start to notch four straight victories of their own. Both sides enter this clash after high-scoring outings: New York put six past Vancouver, while the Lightning found the net five times against the Islanders. Over 5 goals have been scored in three of the Rangersβ last four games. The head-to-head history tells a similar story, with three of their last four meetings producing six or more goals. The absence of Shesterkin and Korpisalo adds to the expectation of goals, even though Garand has won both his starts so far. My pick is over 5 goals.
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Betting Tips: New York Rangers - Tampa Bay Lightning
in 6 of last 7 home games (NHL).in 11 of last 12 home games (NHL).
in 12 of last 13 home games against Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL).in last 6 games against Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL).in last 10 away games (NHL).in 7 of last 8 away games (NHL).
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