Plenty of action to choose from with 12 games on the card tonight, as NHL Coast to Coast on Prime Video Canada returns and is highlighted by several division showdowns. That includes a monster rematch between Central Division rivals Winnipeg and Colorado from last year’s postseason, a Pacific Division clash in L.A. between the Kings and Vancouver, and intriguing Eastern Conference showdown between the Islanders and Ottawa.
But the game I’m most intrigued by is the Florida Panthers against the struggling Nashville Predators, as I see clear-cut value with what appears to be a blowout in the making.
Let’s do a deep dive into this Non-Conference showdown.
WHY NASHVILLE: Before losing two straight, the Predators had won four of their previous six. They’ve won three of the last five meetings, including the most, 3-0, at Amerant Bank Arena, as Filip Forsberg scored two goals in the win. With Steven Stamkos – someone incredibly familiar with the Panthers – and Jonathan Marchessault now in the fold, they’ll have confidence for tonight’s game.
WHY FLORIDA: The Panthers have won five straight, including back-to-back winners over one of the preseason favorites to win it all, the Dallas Stars – both by two goals. During the win streak, they’ve outscored opponents by a combined final of 24-12 – a perfect 2-to-1 ratio for a puck line play. Sam Reinhart comes in tonight riding a four-game goal streak and five-game point streak (5 goals, 4 assists), and could spark the offense.
All betting lines are from Bet365 and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.
THE PICK – PANTHERS -1.5 goals +125: Florida catches the Predators at a perfect time, and will be able to flex its offensive muscles against a travel-weary squad that had to deal with Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals last night. This being their third game in four nights across three cities (Nashville, D.C. and Sunrise), there’s a good chance the Predators will be sluggish against the high-scoring Panthers who rank sixth with 3.69 goals-for per game this season. That average jumps to 4.80 during the team’s five-game skid, fourth-highest in the NHL.
(Season Record: 2-2-0, Net: $0, based on $100 units)
