BEST LINES:  Pinnacle -1½ +222 BET365 -1½ +215 SportsInteraction -1½ +215 5DIMES -1½ +220

Game 3 - posted at 12:15 PM EST.

8:05 PM EST. OT Included. If you just caught the highlights, you made have thought the Predators had won the Stanley Cup after that double-overtime win in Game 2 but they were just delighted to have dug themselves out of another hole. Giving up the lead early has been a trademark of this Nashville team and it started against Colorado in Round 1. Nashville was so fortunate in Game 2, as that night's biggest bounce went its way after a ripper from Patrik Laine beat Pekka Rinne, but bounced off the iron. That potential goal would have made it 3-1 and set a much different tone for the rest of that contest. We also cannot ignore how poorly the Preds played on the road in Denver and it's not going to get any easier here.

What do the Jets have to do to get some respect in this market? Winnipeg got the split in Nashville and now has home ice advantage in this series, but despite that, the Jets are priced far cheaper in their home barn than the Preds were in theirs. Game 2 closed at (Nashville) -185 at Pinnacle and although the Jets were the better puck possession team and outshot Nashville 50-41, they are short-priced here in Game 3. Game 2 was a 5-4 OT thriller and even though they lost, the effort we saw from the Jets solidified our position that they are the superior team in this series. In other words, how the “f**k can Nashville be -185 at home and Winnipeg be just -135? It’s absolutely ludicrous but it’s all because of market perception and what the NHL media is feeding it.

That media was feeding us that Nashville is the best team in the NHL with the greatest core of defensemen in the game. That great defense continuously coughed up the puck in the first series and they’ve coughed it up even more in this series. In eight playoff games thus far, and six of those came against the 8th seeded Avalanche, the mighty Predators have been in danger of losing all but one (Game 6 v Colorado) of their games while Winnipeg left no doubt in four of five games against Minnesota (a tougher team than Colorado). Winnipeg’s defense is playing great but all the NHL media wants to talk about are the flashy Preds’ defensemen. Again, Nashville's offense oriented defense has been very sloppy in in its own end this entire playofss. In goal, we don’t even have to go there, as we all know that Pekka Rinne is going to get yanked again at some point while Connor Hellebucyk is and has been rock solid for an entire season including the playoffs.

Don’t get us wrong, as Nashville is a dangerous and very capable team that very well could win this close series if the bounces go its way. What they are not is this invincible team that is superior to the Jets. Fact is, Nashville was pushed to the max by Colorado. They have fallen behind in just about every single playoff game thus far and they were extremely shaky in the first two road games in Colorado. We have no fear of the Preds and trust that Winnipeg is going to make a clear statement tonight that they don’t fear them either. Winnipeg has tremendous value straight up too if you want to go that way. 

Please note: We have leans posted daily on Twitter and you can follow us there for leans, possible late plays or any other info we might have to pass along. 

Open an account today at Pinnacle Sports and take advantage of their -104 style pricing on sides and totals, which is 60% better than other sportsbooks.