Two teams facing each other for the first time this season, the Nashville Predators and the Colorado Avalanche collide at the Pepsi Center. NBC Sports Network will showcase this Central Division matchup, and the opening face-off is at 10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, November 7.
Nashville Predators at Colorado Avalanche Odds
Colorado (+115) is currently the underdog to Nashville (-135), and the oddsmakers have put the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals (-125 money on the under, +105 on the over).
Nashville is 11-3 straight up (SU) and has netted moneyline bettors 6.0 units this season. Through 14 regular season contests, seven of its games have gone under the total, while six have gone over and just one has pushed. As an away team in 2018-19, the Preds are 6-0 SU.
Nashville has found the net on 13.7 percent of its power play chances thus far. That’s a noticeable drop-off from last year, when it was ranked 11th in the league by scoring on 21.2 percent of its extra-man opportunities. Its penalty kill has fallen off noticeably year-over-year, as the team’s gone from successfully defending 82.2 percent of all opponent power plays (ranked sixth overall last season) to 78.3 percent this year.
For the team as a whole, Nashville has been sent to the penalty box just 3.7 times per game this season. Last year, that number was the highest mark in the league at 4.5 penalties per game. After serving an average of 10.9 penalty minutes per game a season ago the team has been forced to stave off opponent power plays for just 8.2 minutes per outing this year.
Averaging 24.9 saves per game with a .917 save percentage, Juuse Saros (6-2) has been the best option in goal for Nashville this season. If Nashville decides to rest him, however, head coach Peter Laviolette may turn to Pekka Rinne (6-1), who has a .948 save percentage and 1.63 goals against average this year.
Ryan Johansen and Filip Forsberg will both lead the way for the visiting Predators. Johansen has 15 points on two goals and 13 assists, and has recorded multiple points five times. Forsberg has 10 goals and four assists to his name (and has registered a point in nine games).
Over on the other bench, Colorado is 7-7 straight up (SU) and has lost 0.5 units for moneyline bettors this year. Seven of its matches have gone over the total, while another seven have gone under and none have pushed. So far this year, the team’s 3-2 SU at home.
Colorado has converted on 26.0 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a figure that’s good enough for ninth-best in the league. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked sixth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 85.0 percent of all opponent power plays.
Colorado players have been sent to the penalty box 5.0 times per game this season. Last year, that number was at 4.0, the eighth-highest mark in the NHL. After serving an average of 9.2 penalty minutes per game a year ago, the team has been forced to stave off opponent power plays for a noteworthy 12.0 minutes per matchup this season.
Semyon Varlamov (31.1 saves per game) has been the top netminder in the crease for Colorado. Varlamov has four wins, five losses, and two overtime losses to his credit and has recorded a solid 2.12 goals against average and a .936 save percentage this year.
The home team will be led on offense by Mikko Rantanen (five goals, 19 assists).
Nashville Predators at Colorado Avalanche Free Picks
Pick: SU Winner – Avalanche, O/U – Under
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Notes
Betting Notes
After winning two of its three shootouts last year, Colorado is off to a 0-1 start in shootouts this season. Nashville went 6-7 in shootouts last year and has yet to participate in one this time around.
For both of these teams, the over has hit in three of their last five matchups.
Colorado has allowed 2.9 goals per game overall this year, but is giving up 5.3 goals per contest over its three-game losing streak.
Nashville skaters notched 21.0 hits per game last season, while the Avs logged 20.4 hits per contest.
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