Predators Aiming To Cool Hurricanes
The Nashville Predators have been inconsistent as of late. They were able to take down the Montreal Canadiens 6-3 on Tuesday, but it was just their fourth win out of their last 13 games.
In some games, they look like they can compete with the best while in others, they look like a bottom team in the NHL.
Now, they play the Carolina Hurricanes, who saw their 11-game winning streak get snapped with a 5-3 loss to the New York Rangers 5-3 on Tuesday.
Carolina is a big favorite on the NHL betting odds but are they worth a play in this spot? Let’s take a closer look at the matchup for those who bet online.
Let’s check the latest NHL odds, stats, injury reports, and NHL lines for Predators vs. Hurricanes. We’ve plenty of NHL betting odds for you to consider.
Predators Looking for More Offensive Consistency
Nashville has quite a group of talented skaters, but it’s been tough sledding as they seem to hit rough patches. The Predators have the sixth-worst offense, scoring 2.69 goals per game.
However, they’ve scored 16 goals in their last three games, so it goes to show that they’re capable. Overall, this team also only has two players over 30 points, the highest being Filip Forsberg at 33 points.
Their goaltending has slightly improved as the season has progressed, so keep that in mind when making your NHL picks. Juuse Saros posted a .923 save percentage in December – much better than the .910 he averaged going in – so he appears to be playing better.
Carolina Has Been Airtight Defensively
Despite the setback against the Rangers, the Hurricanes have mostly been airtight at the back end. They are currently ranked as the third-best team in terms of goals allowed and allow the fewest shots.
They have two goaltenders who can be placed in the starting lineup at any time and still provide their team with excellent help: Pyotr Kochetkov and Antti Raanta.
Starting with Kochetkov, he’s 10-2-4 with the second-best GAA in the NHL at 2.08. He’s also got the fourth-best save percentage at .924 and is tied for the most shutouts in the league at three.
If you sub in Raanta, he’s 10-2-2 with the 16th-best GAA at 2.62. His save percentage is much lower at .897 on the season, but he’s played better of late, allowing just four goals in total in his last three outings.
Predators vs Hurricanes Game Injuries
Predators vs Hurricanes Head-to-Head
These teams met twice a season ago, with the Hurricanes winning each of those matchups.
Predators vs Hurricanes Game Information
- Game: Predators (16-14-6) Hurricanes (25-7-6)
- Location: PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC
- Day/Time: Thursday, Jan, 05 7:00 p.m. ET
- Predators vs Hurricanes Live Stream: NHL.TV
Predators vs. Hurricanes Betting Lines
Predators vs Hurricanes Picks & Prediction
This seems like a poor matchup overall for the Predators. Nashville hasn’t been a team that consistently hits the back of the net this season while the Hurricanes have two talented goaltenders on a team that plays defense better than most teams in the league.
And if you’re looking at the total in the sportsbook, consider the under. The Predators offense has played well over their last three but it’s likely to cool off in this spot.
Carolina is listed at -210 in our Vegas lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Hurricanes, you have a chance to win $47.62. Nashville is +175, offering a chance to win $175 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Predators a 36.36% chance to win, with the Hurricanes at 67.74%.
