The Pepsi Center is playing host a divisional clash as the Nashville Predators square off against the Colorado Avalanche. The match gets underway at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 4, and fans at home can view the game live on Sportsnet.
Nashville Predators vs. Colorado Avalanche Odds
Nashville comes into the contest as the favorite with a moneyline of -135. The line for Colorado sits at +115 and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at an even 6 goals (-110 for the over, -110 for the under).
Nashville is 41-23 straight up (SU) and has netted 12.1 units for moneyline bettors this season. Through 64 regular season matches, 32 of its games have gone over the total, while 31 have gone under and just one has pushed. This 2017-18 Predators team is 19-13 SU on the road.
Nashville has converted on 22.6 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a mark that’s good enough for fifth-best in the league. Its penalty kill is ranked 13th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 81.7 percent of its penalties.
The Preds, as a collective unit, have been whistled for penalties 4.5 times per game overall during the 2017-18 season, and 3.4 per game over its last five road outings. The team has been forced to kill penalties 10.6 minutes per contest over their last five road games.
Averaging 29.4 saves per game with a .927 save percentage, Pekka Rinne (34-13-4) has been the best option in goal for Nashville this year. If Nashville chooses to rest him, however, the team may roll with Juuse Saros (7-11-5), who has a .924 save percentage and 2.42 goals against average this year.
The visiting Predators have relied on P.K. Subban and Viktor Arvidsson this season. Subban has 49 points on 15 goals and 34 assists, and has recorded two or more points in 12 different games. Arvidsson has 24 goals and 24 assists to his name (and has logged a point in 33 games).
On the other side of the rink, Colorado is 35-29 straight up (SU) and has earned 10.7 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 64 regular season contests, 34 of its games have gone over the total, while 26 have gone under and just four have pushed. This year, the team’s 23-9 SU at home.
The Avalanche have converted on just 20.1 percent of their power play opportunities this year, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked fourth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 83.3 percent of all penalties.
Colorado players have been whistled for penalties 4.1 times per game in total this season, 4.2 per game over their past five outings total, and 3.6 per game over their last five home outings. The team has been forced to defend opponent power plays just 7.8 minutes per contest over their last five home games.
Semyon Varlamov has stopped 28.4 shots per game as the primary choice in goal for the Avalanche. Varlamov has 19 wins, 19 losses, and three overtime losses and has recorded a .914 save percentage and 2.81 goals against average this year.
The Avs will be led on offense by Nathan MacKinnon (31 goals, 45 assists).
Nashville Predators at Colorado Avalanche Betting Predictions
Free Pick: SU Winner – Avalanche, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Trends
Nashville (5-5 in shootouts this season) has significantly more experience in games decided by shootout. Colorado has only participated in a couple of shootouts this year, winning one and losing the other.
The over has hit in three of Nashville’s last five outings.
Colorado has averaged 3.2 goals per game overall this year, but is averaging 5.0 per match up in its last three games (the team’s a perfect 7-0 SU over that span).
Over Nashville’s last ten games, five of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 4-1 in those games).
