Two of the best teams in the NHL will face each other on Monday evening when the Vancouver Canucks travel to New York, New York to face the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden with the puck scheduled to drop at 7:00 PM ET and will air on MSG.

The Vancouver Canucks enter this game with a record of 25-11-3 and 53 points which puts them in 1^st place in the Pacific Division and ties them with the Colorado Avalanche for the 2^nd best record in the Western Conference. The success of the Canucks this season can be attributed to their offensive play as they enter this game averaging the most goals per game in the NHL while also having the 9^th best power-play success rates with an average of 3.76 goals per game while having a power-play success rate of 24.03%. 

Vancouver is also allowing the 4^th fewest goals per game with an average of 2.58 goals allowed per game. Quinn Hughes has been one of the best players in the NHL this season as he is tied for the 3^rd most assists in the league with 39 assists. The Canucks will look to build off the momentum following the win on the road against the New Jersey Devils when they travel to face the New York Rangers.

The Rangers have the best record in the Metropolitan Division and are tied with the Boston Bruins for the best record in the Eastern Conference with a record of 26-10-2 and 54 points, however, they have lost two of their last three games including a 3-4 shootout loss on the road against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. The Rangers are averaging the 9^th most goals per game while having the best power-play success rates in the NHL as they enter this game averaging 3.41 goals per game while having a power-play success rate of 30.43%. 

Artemi Panarin has been the best player on the team as he leads the team in goals, assists, and points with 25 goals, 30 assists, and 55 points and is tied for 3^rd in the league in goals and points this season. The Rangers have also been a top 10 team defensively as they are allowing the 6^th fewest goals per game with an average of 2.76 goals per game. The New York Rangers will look to bounce back following the loss against the Canadiens when they host the Vancouver Canucks on Monday evening.

BookMaker has the New York Rangers listed as -140 moneyline favorites at home against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday evening. Vancouver is 5-3-2 in the last ten while New York has won the previous three meetings. The Canucks have won by an average margin of .3 goals per game over the last ten while the Rangers have won by an average margin of 1.33 goals per game over the last three games in the series.

New York enters this game with a better record and has been the better team most recently in the series, winning the previous three meetings. The Rangers have won by an average margin of 1.33 goals per game over the last three games in the series. I look for those trends to continue which is why I am taking the moneyline for the New York Rangers at -140 when they host the Vancouver Canucks on Monday evening.