The Rangers are on a roll, taking control of the Eastern Conference playoff picture after winning two straight games against the Hurricanes. BetMGM Sportsbook now has the Rangers as the clear favorite to win the Eastern Conference, listing them at +145. It’s a dramatic shift from the start of their series against the Hurricanes, where they were seen as underdogs.
These two back-to-back wins at home, as underdogs, have swung the momentum heavily in favor of the Rangers. Now, with a 2-0 lead over the Hurricanes, they’re poised to advance to the conference finals. They are currently -300 favorites to win the series and +425 to sweep Carolina. If they pull it off, their next challenge would be against the winner of the Bruins-Panthers series.
Game 3 will be held in Raleigh, and the Rangers are underdogs again at +145 according to BetMGM. It’s interesting to see how the narrative has changed for the Rangers throughout the season. When the season started, the Rangers had decent but not top-tier odds of winning the Eastern Conference, coming in at +700. However, as the postseason approached, they gained traction among bettors and their odds improved significantly.
By the time the Rangers faced the Hurricanes, they were listed as the fifth-favorite to win the Stanley Cup at +650. After two wins, their odds of winning the Cup jumped to +425, putting them on the same level as the Avalanche and Oilers. It’s been a remarkable turnaround for a team that wasn’t considered a sure thing for a deep playoff run when the season began. Now, they’re in the driver’s seat and looking to continue their surge toward the ultimate goal—a Stanley Cup win, something they haven’t achieved since 1994.
