Preds vs. Blackhawks Game 1 Pick
The Chicago Blackhawks hope to open their series against the Nashville Predators with a win in Game 1 tonight at 8PM ET.
According to oddsmakers at BetDSI, the Blackhawks are favored at home today, as they are getting odds of -170 to win, while the Predators are getting a money line of +150 to win. The over/under total for the game is listed at 5.5 goals. These two met five times during the season, with Chicago winning the last four meetings.
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The Blackhawks have the top seed in the Western Conference and Central Region after going 50-23-9 on the year for 109 points. The Blackhawks were 26-10-5 at home and scored 244 goals this season while allowing 213. Chicago comes into the postseason riding a four-game losing streak and they have dropped six of their last eight games. Patrick Kane led the team with 34 goals and 89 points while Artemi Panarin added 31 goals and 74 points. Corey Crawford has a 2.55 GAA on the season while stopping 91.8 percent of the shots he faced.
Nashville earned the second Wild Card spot in the East by going 41-29-12 on the season for 94 points. The Predators were just 17-20-4 on the road this season and scored 240 goals while giving up 224. They come into the playoffs having lost five of their last seven games. Ryan Johansen and Viktor Arvidsson led the team with 61 points each while Arvidsson and Filip Forsberg were the team-high goal scorers with 31 each. Pekka Rinne had a 2.42 GAA this season while stopping 91.8 percent of his shots faced.
Bet on Predators vs. Blackhawks
Both teams comes into the playoffs on a low note, but the Blackhawks are the team that seem like they can bounce back quicker. Chicago has a great home-ice advantage and the Blackhawks also have the option of turning to a different goalie with confidence if Crawford struggles. Nashville can’t do that if Rinne isn’t on his game tonight. I don’t think he will be in Chicago, as the Preds have proven they don’t win consistently on the road.
NHL PLAYOFFS PREDICTION: CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS -170