Two teams that have spent a lot of this season in the penalty box, the Nashville Predators and the Florida Panthers take the ice at the BB&T Center for an East-West tilt. Fox Sports Tennesse will air the matchup, and the opening face-off takes place at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, April 3.
Nashville Predators vs. Florida Panthers Odds
Nashville (+110) is playing the role of underdog to Nashville (-130), and the oddsmakers have put the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals (-105 for the over, -115 for the under).
Nashville is 51-28 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 13.7 units this season. Through 79 regular season contests, 39 of its games have gone over the total, while another 39 have gone under and just one has pushed. This 2017-18 Predators team is 24-15 SU on the road.
Nashville has converted on 20.2 percent of its power play chances this year, a figure that’s right around league average. Its penalty kill is ranked eighth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 82.2 percent of all penalties.
For the team as a whole, the Preds have been called for penalties 4.6 times per game this season, and 6.0 per game over its last five games. The team’s been forced to stave off opponent power plays an unhealthy 15.8 minutes per game over their last five outings.
With a .927 save percentage and 29.0 saves per game, Pekka Rinne (41-16-4) has been the primary option in goal for Nashville this year. If head coach Peter Laviolette decides to rest him, however, Nashville may turn to Juuse Saros (10-14-7), who has a .926 save percentage and 2.41 goals against average this year.
Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson will both be relied on to produce for the visiting Predators. Forsberg (61 points) has tallied 23 goals and 38 assists, and has recorded multiple points 16 times. Arvidsson has 29 goals and 31 assists to his credit (and has registered at least one point in 42 games).
On the other side of the rink, Florida is 40-38 straight up (SU) and has lost 1.3 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 78 regular season contests, 38 of its games have gone over the total, while 37 have gone under and just two have pushed. It’s 24-14 SU at home this year.
The Panthers have converted on just 19.2 percent of their power play chances this year, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 14th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 80.9 percent of all penalties.
Florida players have been called for penalties 4.2 times per game in total this season, and 2.6 per game over their last five games. The team has been forced to kill penalties just 8.2 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
James Reimer (28.1 saves per game) has been the top selection in goal for the Panthers. Reimer has 20 wins, 22 losses, and six OT losses to his name and has maintained a pedestrian 3.00 goals against average and a .911 save percentage this season.
Aleksander Barkov (26 goals, 51 assists) will pace the attack for the home team.
Nashville Predators vs. Florida Panthers Betting Picks
NHL Pick: SU Winner – Panthers, O/U – Under
Betting Notes
- Two of Nashville’s last ten games have ended in a shootout. The team is 1-1 in those games and 6-7 overall in shootouts this season.
- The total has gone over in three of Nashville’s last five games.
- Nashville has managed 28.2 shot attempts per game over its last five road games while Florida has been attempting 38.0 shots per game over its last five home outings.
