Lightning vs. Rangers Prediction: Tampa Bay Predicted to Win Thursday's NHL Matchup [4/17/2025]

The NY Rangers will take on the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2025 NHL Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, starting at 7:00PM ET.

Based on the latest simulation results, Dimers' advanced NHL model (see Dimers Pro for full access) predicts the Lightning as the most likely winner of today's game.

"Using the latest data, our experts simulated Thursday's Tampa Bay-NY Rangers game 10,000 times," said Mac Douglass from Dimers.

"Taking into account recent updates and various additional inputs, we forecast the Lightning with a win probability of 51% and the Rangers with 49%."

For further insights into Thursday's matchup, including best bets and player prop picks, visit our interactive Lightning vs. Rangers predictions page.

Lightning vs. Lightning Prediction: Who Will Win, Cover the Puck Line?

Using trusted machine learning and data analysis, we have simulated the result of Thursday's NHL Playoffs game between the Lightning and Rangers 10,000 times as part of our NHL predictions coverage.

Our famous predictive model currently gives the Lightning a 51% chance of defeating the Rangers.

According to our model, the Lightning (+1.5) have a 71% chance of covering the puck line, while the 6.5-goal over/under has a 52% chance of staying under.

Lightning vs. Rangers Odds

We have sourced the best NHL odds in America for this game, which are listed here:

Bet Type	Lightning	Rangers
Puck Line	+1.5 (-250)	-1.5 (+200)
Moneyline	-110	-104
Total	o6.5 (-120)	u6.5 (+105)

All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.

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Lightning vs. Rangers Picks and Best Bets

Our model's biggest edge in today's Lightning vs. Rangers matchup is on the puck line.

Our expert predictions, aligned with the current odds, reveal the best NHL picks and NHL best bets for every game throughout the season.

Unlimited access to our complete set of picks, including this one, is available via Dimers Pro.

Lightning vs. Rangers Player Props

Who will score an anytime goal in Lightning vs. Rangers?

According to our model, Tampa Bay's Jake Guentzel is most likely to score the first goal in Lightning vs. Rangers.

Our projections give Guentzel a 7.4% chance of scoring the first goal at Madison Square Garden, while the Lightning star is a 37.0% chance of netting an anytime goal.

First Goal Scorer Predictions

Tampa Bay Lightning

Player	First Goal Probability
Jake Guentzel	7.4%
Brayden Point	6.8%
Nikita Kucherov	6.8%

NY Rangers

Player	First Goal Probability
Artemi Panarin	5.5%
Mika Zibanejad	5.4%
J.T. Miller	5.3%

Anytime Goal Scorer Predictions

Tampa Bay Lightning

Player	Anytime Goal Probability
Jake Guentzel	37.0%
Brayden Point	36.6%
Nikita Kucherov	33.8%

NY Rangers

Player	Anytime Goal Probability
Artemi Panarin	30.1%
Mika Zibanejad	28.5%
Chris Kreider	27.7%

Lightning vs. Rangers Game-Day Updates and Essential Details

Thursday's game between the Rangers and Lightning in the NHL Playoffs is scheduled to start at 7:00PM ET.

• Who: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. NY Rangers
• Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025
• Time: 7:00PM ET/4:00PM PT
• Venue: Madison Square Garden

The Stanley Cup Playoffs (aka NHL Playoffs) is the NHL's postseason elimination tournament to decide the winner of the Stanley Cup.

A total of 16 teams, including the Lightning and Rangers, made the NHL Playoffs 2025, which consists of four rounds: the First Round, Second Round, Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Finals.

Each round is contested as a best-of-seven series, with the first team to four wins progressing to the next round until a champion is crowned.

Dimers.com's comprehensive preview of Thursday's Lightning vs. Rangers matchup includes our prediction, picks and the latest betting odds.

Before making any Tampa Bay vs. NY Rangers picks, be sure to check out the latest NHL predictions and betting advice from Dimers Pro.

Conclusion

We predict the Lightning, with a 51% win probability, will likely beat the Rangers on Thursday.

AI and automation have enhanced this article to quickly deliver accurate Lightning vs. Rangers insights, with human oversight ensuring high editorial quality. Our predictions are based on the latest data to help you make informed decisions. For additional resources and advice on responsible gambling, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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