Carolina @ NASHVILLE
Carolina +132 over NASHVILLE

BEST LINES:  Pinnacle +132 BET 365 +130 SportsInteraction +130 5DIMES +130

Posted at 12:45 PM EST

8:05 PM EST. OT included. The Hurricanes were destroyed by Winnipeg last night, 8-1 (big deal, it happens) and every player will tell you that all they want to do after getting blown out is get back on the ice ASAP. Look, we can break this one down six ways from Sunday and we’ll come up with the same thing, which is that the Hurricanes can win this game and that they’re a great team to get behind when taking back a price. One would be hard pressed to find a team that’s been playing as consistently good as Carolina has this entire year. Outside of last night’s debacle, the difference between them winning a boatload of games and losing more than they should’ve been has been goaltending. Curtis McElhinney and Petr Mrazek have both been solid since the start of December.

 

Carolina has been a highly ranked analytic squad for three years or more but they have never had the goaltending to support it. Since the beginning of January, Carolina has scored the second most goals in the league and the contributions have come from all throughout the lineup. Carolina’s goal differential since New Year’s Day? An outstanding plus-31. Only the Lightning are in the same company. And while the goals scored helps lay the foundation, the Hurricanes have managed to tilt the scoreboard as often as they have thanks to a goals against average over the past two months that only five teams have surpassed. The Hurricanes rank first on the season in 5-on-5 Corsi percentage (55.2) and shots percentage (55.2), while placing second in scoring chance percentage (54.6) and fourth in high-danger chance percentage (54.8). They’ve maintained similar percentages over the past two months while maintaining its standing as one of the most dogged possession clubs in the NHL.

 

The Predators are 3-3 over their last six games with all three victories occuring in OT. In other words, we could easily be discussing a team that is 0-6 over its last six. Nashville is also 6-7 over its last 13 games. Pekka Rinne continues to be great and lousy, as he gives up more soft goals than most. He’s huge and he’s well positioned most of the time, which allows him to make more lucky saves than most but we’re not coming off our position that he’s the second best goaltender on the team. Nashville is coming off back-top-back OT wins, both against Minnesota. Rinne was in net for the 5-4 win while Juuse Saros was in goal for the 3-2 win. Rinne has posted save percentages of .879, .752 and .889 in three of his last seven starts. He recently went through a stretch in which he posted save percentages of .840, .727, .864, .871,.818, .880, .897, .879, .750, .853 and .885 in 11 of 18 games. The market thinks this guy is the straight goods while we insist otherwise, because the proof has always been in the pudding. The Preds play a strong defensive game when P.K Subban isn’t on the ice but overall, this team is heavily reliant on one line and Filip Forsberg might not even play here. Nashville has been a difficult venue to overcome the past few years but it’s becoming easier to emerge victorious, as the Preds have regressed while many teams have improved. The opposition and that includes this live underdog, are no longer going into Bridgestone Arena shaking in their blue suede skates. Coming off an 8-1 loss, the Hurricanes figure to bring it here and if Rinne sits, we're ok with that too.

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Our Pick

Carolina +132 (Risking 2 units - To Win: 2.64)

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Chicago +167 over Ottawa