Bridgestone Arena will be hosting a divisional matchup as the Winnipeg Jets come into town to face the Nashville Predators. Fox Sports Tennesse will broadcast the game, and the action gets underway at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, December 19.
Winnipeg Jets vs. Nashville Predators Odds
With a moneyline of -155, Nashville enters the contest as the substantial favorite. The line for Winnipeg sits at +135 and the Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 6 goals. The odds for betting that total stand at -120 money on the over and +100 on the under.
Nashville is 21-11 straight up (SU) and has earned 8.8 units for moneyline bettors this year. That winning percentage, ranked second in the league in this young season, is an improvement over the 41-41 record from the 2016-17 season campaign. Of the team’s 32 games this season, 17 have gone over the total, while 15 have gone under and none have pushed. The team’s 11-4 SU at home this season.
The Predators come into the matchup with the third-strongest power-play unit in the NHL, as they have found the net on 26.4 percent of their extra-man advantages this season. On the other hand, their penalty kill is ranked fifth overall, and they’ve successfully killed off 83.7 percent of all penalties.
The Predators, as a collective unit, have been called for penalties 5.5 times per game overall this season, and 4.2 per game over their last five contests at home. The team has been forced to kill penalties for a whopping 18.4 minutes per game over their last five outings, overall.
Averaging 30.3 saves per game with a .930 save percentage, Pekka Rinne (18 wins, seven losses, and three OT losses) has been the best goalkeeper for Nashville this year. If Nashville decides to give him a breather, however, it might roll with Juuse Saros (3-4-4 record, .911 save percentage, 2.95 goals against average).
The Preds will continue to rely on leadership out of Filip Forsberg and Kyle Turris. Forsberg (32 points) is up to 15 goals and 17 assists and has recorded multiple points eight times this year. Turris has seven goals and 19 assists to his credit and has notched a point in 16 games.
Winnipeg is 19-15 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 3.0 units this year. Through 34 regular season contests, 18 of its games have gone over the total, while 15 have gone under and just one has pushed. As the road team, the Jets are 7-11 SU so far.
The Jets have scored on 25.6 percent of their power play opportunities this season, a mark that’s good enough for fourth-best in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 21st overall and it’s successfully killed off 79.8 percent of all penalties.
Winnipeg’s skaters have been penalized 4.3 times per game in total this season, and 5.4 per game over their last five road outings. The team’s been forced to stave off opponent power plays just 7.6 minutes per game over their last five outings.
Connor Hellebuyck (2.45 goals against average and .920 save percentage) has been the primary option in goal for Winnipeg. Hellebuyck is averaging 26.7 saves per game and has 17 wins, 10 losses, and four OT losses to his credit.
Blake Wheeler (eight goals, 31 assists) has been one of the top playmaking threats for the visiting Jets.
Winnipeg Jets vs. Nashville Predators Betting Predictions
Predictions: SU Winner – Jets, O/U – Over
Notes
Betting Notes
Over Nashville’s last ten outings, six of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 5-1 in those games).
Extra-man opportunities could prove to be key in this one. The Jets are 8-5 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 10-7 when they’re in the penalty box for fewer than 10 minutes, total. The Predators are 7-1 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 9-3 in games where total penalty minutes are in the single digits.
Three of Nashville’s last ten games have gone to a shootout. The team is 1-2 in those games and 3-3 overall in shootouts this season.
The over has hit in three of Nashville’s last five outings.
Nashville has allowed 2.7 goals per game overall this season, but is giving up only 0.3 per matchup on its three-game win streak.
Nashville skaters have averaged 14.6 giveaways over its last five home games, a rise over its season average of 9.8 giveaways per game (ranked 16th overall).
Winnipeg is ranked 13th this season with 9.4 giveaways per game. That figure has trended lower, however, as it’s averaged 8.0 giveaways over its last 10 games and 8.2 giveaways over its last five.
