The Nashville Predators at the Pepsi Center in Game 4 of the postseason’s first round. The match gets underway at 10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, April 18, and you can catch it live on NBC Sports Network.
Nashville Predators vs. Colorado Avalanche Odds
Nashville (-170) is currently favored over Colorado (+150) and the oddsmakers have put the Over/Under (O/U) at an even 6 goals (-115 for the over, -105 for the under).
Nashville is 55-30 straight up (SU) and has earned 14.7 units for moneyline bettors this season. 44 of its contests have gone over the total, while 40 have gone under and just one has pushed. As an away team this season, the Preds are 25-17 SU.
Following a regular season where they scored on 21.5 percent of all power-play opportunities (the 14th-rated), the Predators have connected on 30.0 percent of their power plays in the early stages of this postseason.
The Predators’ offensive skaters attempted 32.2 shots per game in the regular season, leading to 3.3 goals per contest (ranked seventh overall in the NHL). In the playoffs, the team is managing an average of 32.0 shots on goal (and up to 4.3 goals per game).
Averaging 28.5 saves per game with a .925 save percentage, Pekka Rinne (44-18-4) has been the primary option in goal for Nashville this season. If Nashville decides to rest him, however, they might go with Juuse Saros (12-15-7), who has a .926 save percentage and 2.39 goals against average this year.
Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson will both spearhead the attack for the visiting Predators. Forsberg (67 points) is up to 28 goals and 39 assists, and has recorded multiple points in 19 different games. Arvidsson has 30 goals and 33 assists to his credit (and has logged a point in 45 games).
Colorado is 44-41 straight up (SU) and has earned 8.6 units for moneyline bettors this season. Through 85 regular season contests, 45 of its games have gone over the total, while 33 have gone under and just seven have pushed. It’s 29-13 SU as the home team this year.
The Avalanche have converted on 21.4 percent of their power play opportunities this season, a figure that places it in the top-10 among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked fourth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 82.8 percent of all opponent power plays.
Colorado players have been whistled for penalties 4.0 times per game in total this season, and 2.6 per game over their last five home outings. The team has been forced to kill penalties just 8.3 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Semyon Varlamov has stopped 28.8 shots per game as the top option in goal for the Avalanche. Varlamov has 26 wins, 25 losses, and six OT losses to his name and has registered a .920 save percentage and 2.68 goals against average this year.
The home team will be led on offense by Nathan MacKinnon (42 goals, 60 assists).
Nashville Predators vs. Colorado Avalanche Betting Predictions
Prediction: SU Winner – Avalanche, O/U – Over
Notes
Betting Notes
The total has gone over in each of Colorado’s last five outings.
Over Nashville’s last ten games, six of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 4-2 in those games).
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