The two best teams in the Metropolitan Division will face off soon in the NHL, as the New York Rangers (42-18-4) and Carolina Hurricanes (39-19-6) compete for the third time this season on Tuesday, March 12 at 7:00 PM ET at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes are favored to win, with a moneyline at -160.

The Rangers are 3-2 in their last five games and are aiming to stay on top of the Metropolitan Division in this matchup. They are currently on a two-game win streak and have scored seven goals total in the last two games, with their most recent performance being a 3-1 outing over the New Jersey Devils.

Their offense thrives with Artemi Panarin at the helm, who leads them with 35 goals, 52 assists, and 87 points. He ranks tied for seventh, tied for 10^th, and fifth for those categories, respectively, in the league.

The Rangers are accustomed to scoring 3.31 goals while taking 31.0 shots a game. They also boast a great penalty kill percentage at 25.4, which are eerily close to the Hurricanes’ stats.

Their defense has been great this season, as they are typically allowing opponents to average 2.66 goals and only take 29.4 shots. They have a strong penalty kill percentage at 83.7, which will likely be needed here.

The Hurricanes are in a similar situation as the Rangers but arguably on a better trend. They have won their last three games and are 4-1 in their last five, with their most recent success being a 7-2 blowout over the Calgary Flames. The Hurricanes were at their best in the second period of action, where they accumulated four goals and allowed just one.

Sebastian Aho is critical to their offense in the same tone as Panarin is to the Rangers. Aho leads them with 25 goals, 43 assists, and 68 points, which are not as strong as Panarin’s, but still vital to the Hurricanes’ success.

The Hurricanes are getting 3.36 goals and firing off 32.8 shots a game. They offer a power play percentage quite similar to the Rangers at 26.4 and it could make an impact here.

On the other side of the puck, they are holding teams to 2.70 goals on average with 25.5 shot attempts each game. They also carry a slightly higher penalty kill percentage than the Hurricanes at 85.0.

MyBookie has you covered for appealing NHL betting odds, which currently show the Carolina Hurricanes as favorites to succeed at home. The Hurricanes are 21-8-4 at home, while the Rangers are just as good on the road at 19-10-4.

In two matchups this season, both teams have won while being played in New York. The last matchup was a 6-1 blowout where the Hurricanes easily dismissed the Rangers.