Pinnacle -½ +114 BET365 -½ +110 SportsInteraction -½ +110 BetOnline -½ +110 Bookmaker -½ +110

Posted at 12:15 PM EST. 

Carolina -½ +114 over NASHVILLE

2:38 PM EST. Regulation only. The Hurricanes are up 2-1 in this series after waxing the Preds in Carolina and subsequently losing in OT in Game 3 in Music City. In Carolina, the ‘Canes outscored the Preds 8-2. In Nashville, the ‘Canes scored four more times. The point is that Nashville needed five goals to beat the ‘Canes and would’ve needed at least four in each of the two games in Carolina. If the Preds are relying on scoring a bunch to win this game or series, it ain’t happening because they are not capable.

The Preds are “back in this series” because of some extreme help from the refs. We’re not sure what the fuck is going on but the refs called eight penalties on the ‘Canes in Game 3 and seven in Game 2. That’s 15 minors called against Carolina over the past two games and four over that same span called against Nashville.

Said Rod Brind’Amour:

“We played our butts off. Played great. Played hard. We’re playing a great team. I didn’t say it, but we’re in a battle. Like I said, Nashville is a phenomenal team, but we’re also fighting the refs. Plain and simple. You can’t tell me two games in a row we get 15 and they get three. And when the game’s this even? That’s not right. That’s not right. I give my guys tons of credit for just sticking with it and going and playing their butts off and having a good chance to win. We still had a chance to win coming back. It wasn’t right. Two overtimes and a knick-knack penalty when there was stuff going on all over the ice? It just flipped the momentum and they scored on the next shift after because we were out of rotation. That’s not how it should go. I didn’t tell them that, but I’m proud of my group because they just battled."

Despite having to kill off eight penalties, the ‘Canes still out-chanced Nashville 31-29. Despite playing almost what would be a full period shorthanded two games in a row, the ‘Canes have outshot and out-chanced the Predators. Perhaps this is some sick attempt by the NHL to try and make this series more evenly matched than it should be or maybe it’s just an anomaly but regardless, that’s the only reason this series is 2-1 and not 3-0 in Carolina's favor. We’ll repeat, this series is a complete and utter mismatch and we’ll therefore come right back on the Hurricanes.

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