The Nashville Predators will face the Colorado Avalanche on Monday at Ball Arena. It's a wild one in the Rocky Mountains as we share our NHL odds series and make a Predators-Avalanche prediction and pick.
The Predators defeated the Avalanche 5-2 in their latest encounter last week at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Overall, the Predators have had some success against the Avalanche, taking two of three last season. The Avalanche are 5-3-2 over the past 10 against the Predators. Furthermore, they are 4-0-1 in the last five at Bridgestone Arena.
Here are the Predators-Avalanche NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Predators-Avalanche Odds
Nashville Predators: +1.5 (-192)
Moneyline: +126
Colorado Avalanche: -1.5 (-152)
Moneyline: -152
Over: 6.5 (-118)
Under: 6.5 (-104)
How To Watch Predators vs Avalanche
Time: 9 PM ET/6 PM PT
TV: ESPN+, ALT and FDSS
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Predators Could Cover the Spread/Win
Despite having a boatload of stars, the Predators might have to rebuild, as they have started the season terribly. But this tough start won't phase them. No, the Predators won't make panic moves, as the talent is already there. This was on full display as it all came together in a 4-0 shutout win over the Utah Hockey Club on Saturday.
The Predators have an assortment of talent. Yet, they are only 28th in goals. Nashville also has not done well in distributing the puck, ranking just 29th in assists. The Predators are also the worst-shooting team in the league, converting just 7.94 percent of their shots. However, the Predators are doing well on the powerplay, ranking 10th.
Filip Forsberg buried two goals on Saturday. Currently, he has eight goals and five assists through 15 contests. The Avalanche have not enjoyed facing him, as Forsberg has notched 19 goals and 19 assists over 36 games against them. Meanwhile, Ryan O'Reilly has been inconsistent. O'Reilly currently has three goals and seven assists. However, he has excelled against Colorado, scoring 10 goals and 23 assists over 29 career showdowns.
Defenseman Roman Josi is still elite, as he delivered two powerplay helpers on Saturday. Now, he has one goal and nine assists. Josi has tallied 14 goals and 27 assists over 44 games against the Avalanche. Also, Steven Stamkos came to life on Saturday with a powerplay helper. Stamkos currently has four goals and four assists.
Jusse Saros has had some trouble. So far, he is 4-7 with a 2.61 goals-against average and a save percentage of .911. Defense has been an issue, as the Predators rank 24th in goals against. Yet, they have been exceptional on the penalty kill, ranking second in that category.
The Predators will cover the spread if they keep skating well and take good shots. Then, they must avoid giving the Avalanche too many chances on the extra-man attack.
Why the Avalanche Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Avalanche are starting to dig themselves out of the mud. After a horrendous start, the Avs are starting to rise in the standings, and the offense is firing on all cylinders, especially after beating the Hurricanes 6-4 on Saturday.
Their scorers are doing well, as they rank eighth in goals. Likewise, their shots are starting to go in, as the Avalanche rank 13th in shooting percentage. The Avs are also dangerous on the powerplay, ranking second in the NHL. Ultimately, their crisp passing and great setup helped them strive.
No one can stop Nathan MacKinnon. Amazingly, he dominated again on Saturday, with one goal and three assists. MacKinnon has also destroyed the Predators, tallying 17 goals and 25 assists over 35 games against Nashville. Meanwhile, Cale Makar also did well on Saturday, scoring a shorthanded goal. Makar is now at six goals and 18 assists. Likewise, Makar has done well against Nashville, scoring five goals and 15 assists over 11 games against the Predators. Mikko Rantanen wrangled three points on Saturday. Currently, he has eight goals and 12 assists.
Alexandar Georgiev has struggled, and Justus Annunen has not been great. The defense and goaltending have been horrendous overall. They rank 30th in goals against. The penalty kill has also been atrocious, as they rank 29th in killing other teams' penalties.
The Avalanche will cover the spread if they can generate scoring early. Then, the defense must buckle down and prevent easy shots.
Final Predators-Avalanche Prediction & Pick
The Predators are 6-9 against the puck line, while the Avalanche are just 5-10. Likewise, the Preds are 6-9 against the over/under, while the Avs are 11-4. The Predators are 2-3 against the puck line on the road, while the Avalanche are a pitiful 2-7 against the puck line at home. The Predators have struggled to score on the road, as they are just 1-4 in covering the over/under. Meanwhile, the Avalanche have struggled to keep goals from going in, as they are 9-0 against the puck line at home. Because of these factors, it is easier to trust the Predators to stay in this contest and cover the spread on the road.
Final Predators-Avalanche Prediction & Pick: Nashville Predators: +1.5 (-192)