In their third and final head-to-head matchup of the regular season, the Nashville Predators and the Edmonton Oilers collide at Rogers Place for a Western Conference tilt. The matchup will get underway at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 1, and fans at home are able to catch it live on Sportsnet West.
Nashville Predators at Edmonton Oilers Odds
Nashville (-150) is currently the favorite over Edmonton (+130) and the Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 6 goals. The odds for betting the total stand at -110 for the over and -110 for the under.
Nashville is 39-23 straight up (SU) and has netted 10.1 units for moneyline bettors this season. Through 62 regular season outings, 31 of its games have gone over the total, while another 31 have gone under and none have pushed. The Preds are 17-13 SU as an away team in 2017-18.
Nashville has converted on 23.1 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a figure that’s good enough for fourth-best in the league. Its penalty kill is ranked 10th overall, and the team’s successfully killed off 82.5 percent of its penalties.
For the team as a whole, the Preds have been whistled for penalties 4.5 times per game during the 2017-18 season, and 3.2 per game over its last five road outings. The team’s had to kill penalties 8.5 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Averaging 29.3 saves per game with a .927 save percentage, Pekka Rinne (33-13-4) has been the best option in goal for Nashville this year. If head coach Peter Laviolette chooses to rest him, however, the team may go with Juuse Saros (6-11-5), who has a .926 save percentage and 2.39 goals against average this year.
P.K. Subban and Viktor Arvidsson will both lead the offensive attack for the visiting Predators. Subban (48 points) is up to 15 goals and 33 assists, and has recorded two or more points in 12 different games. Arvidsson has 22 goals and 22 assists to his name, and has logged at least one point in 31 games.
Edmonton is 27-36 straight up (SU) and has lost 15.3 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 63 regular season contests, 31 of its games have gone over the total, while 30 have gone under and just two have pushed. It’s 13-17 SU at home this year.
The Oilers have converted on just 13.8 percent of their power play chances this season, a mark that’s ranked 32nd in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 31st overall, and it’s successfully killed off 73.2 percent of all penalties.
Oilers players have been called for penalties 3.7 times per game in total this season, and 2.8 per game over their last five at home. The team has been forced to stave off opponent power plays just 6.3 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Cam Talbot has stopped 26.9 shots per game as the top selection in goal for the Oilers. Talbot has 23 wins, 27 losses, and two overtime losses to his name and has recorded a mediocre 3.11 goals against average and a poor .903 save percentage this season.
Connor McDavid (28 goals, 47 assists) will pace the offensive attack for the home team.
Nashville Predators vs. Edmonton Oilers Betting Predictions
Free NHL Pick: SU Winner – Predators, O/U – Under
Betting Notes
- Edmonton is 3-1 in games decided by a shootout this season while Nashville is 5-5 in shootouts.
- The total has gone over in three of Edmonton’s last five outings.
- Over Nashville’s last ten games, four of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 3-1 in those games).
- The Oilers this season have recorded the second-most hits per game (27.1), but that number has risen to 35.8 over their past five games as the home team.