The Nashville Predators are hot and they have the St. Louis Blues in Nashville tonight.
The Nashville Predators are the hottest team in the National Hockey League as they are currently on a 7 game winning streak. They have a chance to match a franchise record tonight when they host the St. Louis Blues from Nashville.
The Blues were expected to contend in the Central but right now they are right at the bottom of the division.
Only twice this year have they won back to back games, something they hope to accomplish at the end of this contest. The problem with the Blues this year is their lack of scoring. Guys like Boyes, Berglund and Backes were supposed to provide the offense, yet Erik Johnson currently leads all Blues scorer with 16 points on the year. Chris Mason in nets hasn't been phenomenal, but with a 2.28 GAA, he can hardly be blamed for their lack of success.
On Nashville's side, Pekka Rinne has been dynamite during this win streak with a 2.33 GAA on the year. Both teams play on Saturday, with the Predators welcoming Florida to the Sommet Center and the Blues heading to Detroit. Pekka Rinne is the probable starter for the Preds since it's a divisional game, but double check on St. Louis as they have back to back Central division opponents.
It is not a surprise that the Blues are heavy dogs with the Money Line showing them at 2.26 (+126). The Preds have won 6 of the last 10 head-to-head meetings. However, 3 of their last 4 have needed extra time to be decided. Needless to say, it's a close game when these two meet and it's why I'd be tempted to take a chance on backing the Blues.
They do play well on Fridays, where they are 7-1 in their last 8 games on that night and are 4-1 in their last 5 against teams in the Central. Not only have the Preds won 7 in a row, they are also 7-0 in their last 7 home games. They are 4-0 in their last 4 against the Central and are 4-1 in their last 5 versus a team with a losing record.
The St. Louis fan base is no doubt getting anxious as the season heads into December. What they need to do is string a few wins together. With one in the books Wednesday, they hope to exit the weekend on a three-game win streak. Take a chance backing them and look for another close tilt between these two rivals.
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