With the series even at one game apiece, the Nashville Predators and the Dallas Stars face off in the all-important Game 3 of the NHL postseason’s first round. The opening face-off takes place at 9:30 p.m. ET on Monday, April 15, and you can see this Central Division matchup live on NBC Sports Network.
Nashville Predators at Dallas Stars Odds
Dallas comes into the game as the favorite with a moneyline of -120. The line for Nashville sits at +100, and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 5 goals (-130 for the under, +110 for the over).
Though the team is 48-36 straight up (SU) this season, Nashville has actually lost 6.2 units for bettors taking the moneyline thus far. Through 84 regular season matches, 47 of its games have gone under the total, while 33 have gone over and just four have pushed. This 2018-19 Predators team is 22-19 SU on the road.
After sporting the second-weakest power-play unit in the regular season (scoring on 13.0 percent of all opportunities), the Predators have yet to connect on a power-play goal in the playoffs.
Nashville’s offensive attack attempted 32.7 shots per game in the regular season, resulting in 2.9 goals per contest (ranked 18th overall in the NHL). In the postseason, the club is up to an average of 37.0 shots on goal yet down to 2.0 goals per game.
Boasting a .918 save percentage and 25.8 saves per game, Pekka Rinne (32-26-5) has been the primary option in goal for Nashville this year. If Nashville chooses to rest him, however, the team may turn to Juuse Saros (17-14-2), who has a .915 save percentage and 2.62 goals against average this year.
Ryan Johansen and Roman Josi will both look to continue their strong seasons for the visiting Predators. Johansen (64 points) is up to 14 goals and 50 assists, and has recorded two or more points in 16 different games. Josi has 16 goals and 41 assists to his nameand has logged a point in 42 games.
On the other side of the rink, Dallas is 44-40 straight up (SU) and has lost 1.3 units for moneyline bettors this year. 50 of its contests have gone under the total, while 24 have gone over and just 10 have pushed. It’s 24-17 SU as the home team this year.
Dallas has converted on 20.6 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a figure that places it in the top-10 among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked fifth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 83.3 percent of all opponent power plays.
The Stars have been penalized 3.5 times per game this season, 4.0 per game over their last five match ups total, and 3.0 per game over their last five at home. The team’s been forced to kill penalties just 6.5 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Ben Bishop (27.2 saves per game) has been the top selection in the crease for Dallas. Bishop has 29 wins, 19 losses, and three OT losses and has recorded a solid 1.98 goals against average and a .935 save percentage this season.
The Stars offense will be led by Tyler Seguin (33 goals, 48 assists).
Nashville Predators vs. Dallas Stars Betting Predictions
Pick: SU Winner – Predators, O/U – Under
Betting Notes
- The under has hit in three of Nashville’s last five games.
- Nashville has managed 28.4 shot attempts per game over its last five road games while Dallas is averaging 37.2 shots per game over its last five at home.
- Over Dallas’ last ten outings, four of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 3-1 in those games).
- Nashville skaters notched 21.0 hits per game last season, while the Stars forced 22.7 hits per matchup.
