Nashville Predators vs Ottawa Senators Betting Picks

Ottawa has been a strong OVER team this season, going above the total in 59% of its games. It makes sense since the Senators are 10th in scoring and fifth in expected goals percentage at 5-on-5, but rank 27th defensively and 30th on the penalty kill. Ottawa is averaging five goals a game during its past four games. Nashville is having a down season defensively. The Predators have had spotty goaltending and are giving up 3.4 goals a game, which ranks 29th. They are allowing an average of 4.5 goals a game in their last four games. Nashville, though, is averaging 3.8 goals a game during its past five contests. The Predators scored four goals against Ottawa in the first meeting between the two teams this season and could take advantage of Ottawa playing its third consecutive road game and its fourth in six days. Take the OVER.

Ottawa has won four in a row, all at home, but now the Senators go on the road where they have lost 15 of 27 this season. Nashville has won 13 of 20 meetings, and the Predators have won four of their past five home games. Juuse Saros will start for the Predators, and he owns a 2.84 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage with four shutouts this season. He has played in hard luck most of the season, and his team scored two goals in his last two appearances. Nashville seeks to end a four-game skid after concluding a rough stretch of five games, four of which were on the road. The Predators had won five in a row before their recent slide, but look for them to get back on track on home ice. Take the Predators.

Nashville has lost six in a row and surrendered 20 goals. The defense is 23rd in goals allowed (3.15 per game). Ottawa's offense is 14th in goals scored (3.08 per game) and sixth on the power play. Ottawa is on a 7-3 run OVER the total. The shaky defense is 23rd in penalty killing, 24th in save percentage (.890), and 25th in goals given up (3.33 per game). Take Nashville/Ottawa OVER the total. 

Ottawa won the only meeting this season 4-3 in overtime on Jan. 29 and the Senators have won seven of their past 11 games although they look to bounce back from a 6-3 loss to Washington on Monday night. Anton Forsberg was pulled after allowing four goals on 10 shots and Joonas Korpisalo came in and stopped all 17 shots he faced. Korpisalo is the likely starter tonight and he had 31 saves his last appearance, which was a 3-2 overtime loss to Florida. Nashville just completed a 5-0 road trip in a nine-day span and that puts the Predators in a letdown and a fatigue situation heading into tonight's contest. The Predators have lost four of five against the Atlantic Division and they have lost four of their past five home games overall. Take the Senators as Max Play.