Nashville Predators vs. Colorado Avalanche Game Preview

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Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen, and the Nashville Predators will face off against Mikko Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon, and the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center in a Central Division showdown. The opening face-off takes place at 10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, November 7, and it can be watched live on NBC Sports Network.

Nashville Predators vs. Colorado Avalanche Odds

Nashville comes into the contest as the favorite with a moneyline of -135. The line for Colorado sits at +115, and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at an even 6 goals. The odds for betting the total sit at -125 for the under and +105 for the over.

Nashville is 11-3 straight up (SU) and has earned 6.0 units for moneyline bettors this season. Seven of its contests have gone under the total, while six have gone over and just one has pushed. This 2018-19 Predators team is 6-0 SU on the road.

The Predators have converted on 13.7 percent of their power play opportunities so far. That’s a fairly big drop-off from last season, when they were ranked 11th in the league by scoring on 21.2 percent of their extra-man advantages. Their penalty kill has fallen off noticeably, as they’ve gone from successfully defending 82.2 percent of opponents’ power plays (ranked sixth overall last season) to 78.3 percent this year.

Averaging 24.9 saves per game with a .917 save percentage, Juuse Saros (6-2) has been the primary option in goal for Nashville this year. If it chooses to give him a rest, however, head coach Peter Laviolette may roll with Pekka Rinne (6-1 record, .948 save percentage, 1.63 goals against average).

Colorado is 7-7 straight up (SU) and has lost 0.5 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 14 regular season outings, seven of its games have gone over the total, while another seven have gone under and none have pushed. The team’s 3-2 SU at home this season.

The Avalanche have converted on 26.0 percent of their power play chances this season, a figure that places it in the top-10 among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked sixth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 85.0 percent of all opponent power plays.

Semyon Varlamov has stopped 31.1 shots per game as the top selection in goal for the Avalanche. Varlamov has four wins, five losses, and two OT losses and has maintained a solid 2.12 goals against average and a .936 save percentage this year.

Nashville Predators at Colorado Avalanche Free Picks

Free Pick: SU Winner – Avalanche, O/U – Under

Betting Notes

  • After winning two of their three shootouts last year, the Avalanche are off to a 0-1 start in shootouts this season. The Predators were 6-7 in shootouts last year and has yet to participate in one this time around.
  • For both of these clubs, the game went over the total in three of their last five matchups.
  • Nashville skaters created 21.0 hits per game last season, while the Avs forced 20.4 hits per contest.