Getting their final regular season head-to-head meeting out of the way early in the year, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Nashville Predators meet at Bridgestone Arena in an East-West tilt. The match gets going at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 21, and it will be shown live on Fox Sports Tennesse.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Nashville Predators Odds
Carolina (+155) is playing the role of underdog to Nashville (-175) and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at 6 goals. The odds for betting the total sit at -115 money on the over and -105 for the under.
Nashville is 21-12 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 7.3 units this season. That winning percentage, ranked third in the NHL in this young season, is an improvement over the 41-41 record from last years regular season campaign. Through 33 regular season contests, 18 of its games have gone over the total, while 15 have gone under and none have pushed. The teams 11-5 SU at home this year.
The Predators currently have the second-best power-play unit in the NHL, as the team has converted on 26.6 percent of their extra-man chances this season. On the other hand, their penalty kill is rated fifth overall, and they’ve successfully killed off 83.6 percent of all penalties.
The Predators, as a collective unit, have been penalized 5.5 times per game overall this season, and 4.8 per game over their last five at home. The team has had to kill penalties for a whopping 13.9 minutes per game over their last 10 matchups, in total.
Averaging 30.3 saves per game with a .927 save percentage, Pekka Rinne (18-8-3) has been the top option in goal for Nashville this year. If Nashville decides to give him the night off, however, head coach Peter Laviolette could go with Juuse Saros (3-4-4 record, .911 save percentage, 2.95 goals against average).
Filip Forsberg and Kyle Turris will both lead the offensive attack for the Predators. Forsberg (33 points) is up to 15 goals and 18 assists and has recorded two or more points on eight separate occasions this year. Turris has seven goals and 19 assists to his name and has notched at least one point in 17 contests.
On the other bench, Carolina is 14-19 straight up (SU) and has lost 6.9 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 33 regular season matches, 16 of its games have gone over the total, while 15 have gone under and just two have pushed. The Hurricanes are 7-12 SU as a road team this season.
The Hurricanes have converted on just 14.2 percent of their power play chances this year, a mark that places them in the bottom- overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 30th overall and it’s successfully killed off 75.6 percent of all opponent power plays.
Carolina’s players have been penalized only 2.8 times per game in total this season, and 3.6 per game over their last ten match ups. The teams been forced to stave off opponent power plays just 7.4 minutes per game over their last five outings.
Scott Darling (24.5 saves per game) has been the main option in goal for Carolina. Darling has eight wins, 16 losses, and six OT losses to his credit, and has registered a .896 save percentage and 2.87 goals against average this year.
For the visiting Hurricanes, the offense will be facilitated through Teuvo Teravainen (eight goals, 17 assists) and Sebastian Aho (seven goals, 16 assists).
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Nashville Predators Betting Predictions
Predictions: SU Winner – Predators, O/U – Over
Betting Notes
- Seven of Nashville’s last ten outings have been decided by two or more goals, and the club is 5-2 overall in those games.
- Power plays and penalty kills could be critical in tonight’s matchup. The Hurricanes are 8-10 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 11-16 when they serve fewer than 10 total penalty minutes. The Predators are 7-1 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 9-3 when they’re in the box for less than 10 minutes.
- Two of Nashville’s last ten games have gone to a shootout. The team is 1-1 in those games and 3-3 overall in shootouts this year.
- Nashville might hold the upper hand if it’s a close one late. The teams 8-5 in games decided by one goal, while Carolina is 7-12 in such games.
- The over has hit in three of Nashville’s last five outings.
- Nashville has averaged 14.0 giveaways over its last five home games, a rise over its season average of 9.8 giveaways per game (ranked 16th in the league).
- Carolina skaters have averaged 8.8 giveaways over its last five home games, an improvement from its season average of 10.1 giveaways per game (ranked 21st overall).
