Nashville vs Vancouver Hockey Betting?
Struggling Teams Look To Keep Playoff Hopes Alive – Canucks Host Preds
Two teams in a desperate chase for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference meet in Vancouver Wednesday night when the Nashville Predators, 5-1 losers in Edmonton last night visit the Vancouver Canucks who return home after a rather unsuccessful road trip.
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Nashville (29-29-3-7) at Vancouver (31-30-3-7)
When: 10:00 PM ET, Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Where: Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia
Broadcast: FS-TN, SNET-P
Preds vs. Canucks Betting Lines
Nashville Predators +1½ -240 +134 Ov 5½ +124
Vancouver Canucks -1½ +200 -147 Un 5½ -137
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Nashville is 4-6-0 in their last 10 games and sit eight points out of a playoff spot while the Canucks – they are 3-6-1 in their last 10 and are five points back of the final playoff spot in the West. Needless to say, there is a lot on the line Wednesday night as the teams play the rubber match in the three game season series.
The Nashville Predators certainly didn`t look like a desperate team last night in their loss to Edmonton – nobody played well in a game that acted as yet another nail in the coffin for the Preds. Nashville was listless in the loss and now face the reality that a playoff spot is virtually out of reach. The trick now is to keep up the intensity even though their hopes are as feint as ever.
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Nashville continues to struggle to score goals – not unusual for this team. They average 2.38 goals per game but the power play has dried up – just 2 for its last 29 including 0-for-five last night and Shea Weber has scored just once in his last 13 games. Nick Spaling and Craig Smith are pointless in three games, Michael Del Zotto and Seth Jones are pointless in four games and Victor Stalberg hasn`t recorded a point in nine games – ugly for sure.
The Preds have always been able to count on Pekka Rinne but he too has struggled. Rinne was pulled last night after giving up five goals on 26 shots and is now 0-2 in his last two starts with a 4.91 GAA and .827 save percentage – not good!
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The Vancouver Canucks recent slide has been epic – a 4-13-1 has all but taken them out of the Western Conference playoff picture. They enter Wednesday night`s game having lost five of their last seven games at home and will be forced to play without Ryan Kesler and Daniel Sedin once again.
Thank goodness for Alexander Burrows, who went without a goal in his first 35 games this season and now has five goals in his past five games including two goals in the third period at Tampa Bay. Burrows has six points in his last two games while Niklas Jensen has three points in three games and defensemen Alex Edler and Kevin Bieksa each have two points in two games. The depth for Vancouver has been a question mark all season long however and continues to be as we head into Wednesday night.
The Vancouver goaltending situation has taken on a life of its own. With Luongo out of the mix the Canucks have really struggled to keep the puck out of their net. Eddie Lack has not been good – he is 3-4-0 with a 3.69 GAA and .862 save percentage in his last seven games played. Lack isn`t giving the Canucks quality goaltending but should still get the starts again against Nashville.
Dave’s FREE NHL Betting Prediction
A few trends to consider:
• Under is 6-1-2 in NAS last 9 overall.
• Over is 5-1-2 in NAS last 8 road games.
• NAS are 19-40 in their last 59 road games.
• Under is 20-6-1 in VAN last 27 vs. Central.
• VAN are 8-23 in their last 31 overall.
• Under is 8-3 in VAN last 11 Wed. games.
While I expect a better effort form Nashville than we saw last night, the Preds are a team that looks as though they have mailed it in. The same cannot be said for Vancouver. The Canucks are still playing hard despite the absence of two of their top offensive weapons and they are still a very proud team. Vancouver fans are absolutely craving a good performance on home ice – I think they get it Wednesday night against a team playing for jobs for next season.
Pick: Vancouver Canucks -147
