The Nashville Predators look to even the series at two games apiece at Bell MTS Place in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semis. NBC Sports Network will showcase the game, and the opening face-off takes place at 9:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 3.
Nashville Predators at Winnipeg Jets Odds
Winnipeg (-145) is currently favored over Nashville (+125) and the Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 6 goals. The odds for betting the total stand at -110 for the over and -110 on the under.
Winnipeg is 58-32 straight up (SU) and has netted moneyline bettors 21.2 units this year. That winning percentage, ranked second in the league in this young season, is a welcome improvement over the 40-42 record from the 2016-17 season campaign. Through 90 regular season outings, 44 of the team’s games have gone over the total, while another 44 have gone under and just two have pushed. The team is 36-9 SU at home this season.
After accounting for the fifth-best power-play unit in the regular season (scoring on 23.5 percent of all opportunities), the Jets have connected on 23.8 percent of their extra-man advantages in the postseason. Their penalty kill has gone from 81.2 percent in the regular season to 75.0 percent in the playoffs.
The Jets’ offense attempted 32.5 shots per game in the regular season, resulting in 3.4 goals per contest (ranked second overall in the NHL). In the playoffs, the team is climbed to an average of 35.4 shots on goal ( 3.9 goals per game).
With a .923 save percentage and 28.1 saves per game, Connor Hellebuyck (50-25-10) has been the top goalkeeper for the Jets this season. If Winnipeg chooses to give him a breather, however, the team might roll with Steve Mason (5-9-9 record, .907 save percentage, 3.15 goals against average).
Blake Wheeler and Patrik Laine will each lead the way for the Jets. Wheeler (101 points) has produced 26 goals and 75 assists and has recorded two or more points 26 times this year. Laine has 46 goals and 31 assists to his credit and has notched at least one point in 56 games.
On the other bench, Nashville is 58-33 straight up (SU) and has netted 11.7 units for moneyline bettors this season. A total of 46 of its games have gone over the total, while 44 have gone under and just one has pushed. As the road team, the Predators are 27-18 SU.
The Predators have converted on 21.1 percent of their power play opportunities this year, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked sixth overall and it’s successfully killed off 82.3 percent of all opponent power plays.
Nashville’s skaters have been penalized 4.5 times per game this season, and 5.8 per game over their last five on the road. The team’s been forced to defend opponent power plays just 7.0 minutes per game over their last five outings.
Pekka Rinne (.924 save percentage and 2.41 goals against average) has been the primary option in goal for Nashville. Rinne is averaging 28.6 saves per game and has 47 wins, 21 losses, and four overtime losses to his credit.
Filip Forsberg (31 goals, 44 assists) will pace the attack for the visiting Predators.
Nashville Predators at Winnipeg Jets Betting Picks
Pick: SU Winner – Predators, O/U – Over
Notes
Betting Notes
Seven of Winnipeg’s last ten games have been decided by two or more goals, and the team is 6-1 overall in those games.
Power-play chances may have a key role in this game. The Predators are 21-8 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 27-17 when they serve fewer than 10 penalty minutes, in total. The Jets are 25-11 when the team serves fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 38-20 in games where they’re in the box for less than 10 minutes.
Winnipeg is 4-2 in games decided by a shootout this season while Nashville is 6-7 in shootouts.
The total has gone under in three of Winnipeg’s last five games.
Winnipeg has given up just 2.0 goals per game (while scoring 4.4 per contest) across its five-game winning streak.
Winnipeg skaters have averaged 10.4 giveaways over its last five home games, right in line with its season average of 10.1 giveaways per game (ranked 21st in the NHL).
Nashville skaters have averaged 6.4 giveaways over its last five home games, an improvement from its season average of 9.7 giveaways per game (ranked 16th overall).
The Jets this season have registered the 11th-most hits in the league (22.9 per game), but that number has risen to 29.0 over their last five home games.
*****
