Two of the league’s best at fending off power plays, the Boston Bruins and the Nashville Predators take the ice at Bridgestone Arena in an East-West matchup. This one will get started at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, December 4 and it’ll be broadcasted live on TVA Sports.
Boston Bruins at Nashville Predators Odds
Nashville enters the game as the obvious favorite with a moneyline of -140. The line for Boston sits at +120 and the oddsmakers have put the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. The odds for betting the total sit at -110 money on the over and -110 on the under.
Nashville is 16-10 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 5.0 units this year. That winning percentage, ranked fifth in the NHL in this young season, is an improvement over the 41-41 record from last year’s regular season campaign. Through 26 regular season outings, 13 of its games have gone over the total, while another 13 have gone under and none have pushed. This season, the team is 10-3 SU at home.
The Predators enter the matchup with the second-best power-play unit in the NHL, as the team has found the net on 26.5 percent of their extra-man advantages this year. On the other hand, their penalty kill is ranked sixth overall, and they’ve successfully killed off 83.3 percent of all penalties.
As a collective unit, the Predators have been penalized 5.5 times per game overall this season, and 4.2 per game over their last five outings home outings. The team has been forced to kill penalties for just 8.2 minutes per game over their last five matchups, in total.
Averaging 29.9 saves per game with a .926 save percentage, Pekka Rinne (15-6-2) has been the top option in goal for the Preds this season. If head coach Peter Laviolette decides to give him the night off, however, Nashville could turn to Juuse Saros (1-4-4 record, .870 save percentage, 3.71 goals against average).
The Preds will continue looking for offensive production out of Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson. Forsberg (27 points) has put up 13 goals and 14 assists and has recorded multiple points on seven separate occasions this year. Arvidsson has nine goals and nine assists to his credit and has recorded a point in 12 contests.
Boston is 12-12 straight up (SU) and has lost 3.0 units for bettors taking the moneyline this year. A total of 13 of its matches have gone under the total, while 11 have gone over and none have pushed. The Bruins are 5-6 SU as the away team this season.
The Bruins have converted on 18.2 percent of their power play chances this year, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked fourth overall and it’s successfully killed off 84.6 percent of all penalties.
Boston’s players have been penalized 4.3 times per game in total this season, 3.8 per game over their last five match ups total, and 4.4 per game over their last five games as the visiting team. The team has had to kill penalties just 8.8 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Tuukka Rask (2.65 goals against average and .906 save percentage) has been the primary option in goal for Boston. Rask is averaging 25.0 saves per game and has five wins, 10 losses, and two OT losses to his credit.
David Pastrnak (13 goals, 10 assists) will lead the attack for the visiting Bruins.
Boston Bruins vs. Nashville Predators Free Picks
Predictions: SU Winner – Bruins, O/U – Over
Betting Trends
- Over Nashville’s last ten outings, six of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 4-2 in those games).
- Power plays and penalty kills could be critical in tonight’s matchup. The Bruins are 4-6 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 5-7 when they’re in the box for fewer than 10 total penalty minutes. The Predators are 6-1 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 7-3 when they’re in the box for less than 10 minutes.
- Three of Nashville’s last ten games have been decided by a shootout. The team is 2-1 in those games and 3-2 overall in shootouts this year.
- The total has gone under in three of Nashville’s last five games.
- Nashville is ranked 18th this season with 10.0 giveaways per game. That figure has regressed lately, as it’s averaged 11.8 giveaways over its last 10 games and 11.6 giveaways over its last five.
- Boston has averaged 10.2 giveaways over its last five home games, a rise over its season average of 9.3 giveaways per game (the 11th-fewest in the league).
- Boston skaters have accounted for the fourth-most hits in the league (24.7 per game).
