Chicago Blackhawks vs Nashville Predators Betting Picks

Both the Predators and Blackhawks are low-scoring teams. Meeting in this unusual early start day game isn't going to help their scoring. Nashville is 20th in scoring. The Predators have failed to reach three goals in eight of their last 12 road games. They are not likely to score a power play goal as the Blackhawks have the league's No. 2 penalty kill unit. Chicago is even more hard-pressed to score than Nashville. The Blackhawks rank 30th in scoring. They get the fewest shots on goal in the league. Chicago has only scored six goals in its last four games. The Blackhawks have gone UNDER in five of their last six games. Each team's top goalie is projected to be in net. That means veteran Juuse Saros for Nashville and Spencer Knight for Chicago. Knight holds a 3-1 record with a 1.83 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage in five career games against the Predators. Take the UNDER.

The Blackhawks have played the Predators very tough in Nashville recently. Chicago defeated the Predators, 3-0, in Nashville on Jan. 10, but lost in overtime and in a shootout in its prior two games at Bridgestone Arena. So, taking the Blackhawks at +1.5 on the puck line makes sense. The Predators have failed to cover the puck line when laying -1.5 goals nine of the past 10 times they've been favored. The Blackhawks have earned points in five of their last seven road games. Emerging star Connor Bedard has 22 assists in his 21 road games for the Blackhawks this season. Chicago leads the NHL in killing penalties at 85.7%. That percentage rises to 95.2% over the last nine games. Chicago has gone 39-for-42 (92.9%) on the penalty kill during its last 18 games. Take the Blackhawks plus 1.5 goals on the puck line.

Nashville has won seven of eight meetings, and this is the first one this season. The Predators snapped a three-game skid with a 6-3 win over Detroit on Wednesday. Justus Annunen had 28 saves, and Nashville scored five times in the third period. That gives the Predators some momentum coming into this game against Chicago, which has lost four straight while being outscored 17-8. The Blackhawks lost 4-3 in overtime to Minnesota as Spencer Knight allowed four goals on 24 shots. Kirill Kaprizov won it with a power-play goal for the Wild. The Blackhawks have lost seven of 12 home games this season. Nashville has won six of seven at Chicago. Take the Predators.