After a frustrating shutout in Boston, New York's high-octane offense returns home to face a potent Tampa Bay squad in their season opener.
Who will win the Vezina Trophy this season?
The Tampa Bay Lightning open the 2026-27 season against the New York Rangers on Thursday night, and there's one betting angle that stands out above the rest. The Rangers started their season on the road against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, losing 3-0, but will return home for their opener at historic Madison Square Garden to host the Lightning.
October 1, 2026's THN Daily Bet for Lightning vs. Rangers
Bet: Lighting/Rangers Over 6
Odds: -105
Sportsbook: BetMGM Sportsbook
Record: 2-0
All betting lines are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict, so please gamble responsibly.
The Rangers ran into the brick wall known as Jeremy Swayman on Tuesday night, throwing 15 high-danger scoring chances at the net but getting stopped on all of them. It won't get any easier with Andrei Vasilevskiy in the Lightning net, but the Rangers should be able to finish on a couple if they get close to as many chances on Thursday.
The Lightning's offense will remain a strength, as all the stars return and veteran John Carlson replaces Darren Raddysh's output from last season. Some parts of the Lightning lineup are a bit questionable, including Jansen Harkins centering the second line with Brandon Hagel and Jake Guentzel, but Tampa Bay still has enough offense throughout the lineup.
Everyone will expect a high-profile goaltending matchup here, with Vasilevskiy facing Igor Shesterkin, but I think there could be some offensive fireworks. After Shesterkin started on Tuesday, it'll be interesting to see whether New York goes with Joonas Korpisalo, which would make this bet even more appealing. However, I wouldn't expect that to happen.
The Lightning were one of the league's highest-scoring teams last season, and the Rangers believe they will be much improved with young talent like Gabe Perreault and offseason addition Pavel Dorofeyev. They didn't show that in the season opener, but that will only motivate them to get the offense rolling on Thursday.
