NHL playoffs - Game 3
NASHVILLE -½ +120 over St. Louis

BEST LINES: Pinnacle -½ +119 Bet365 -½ +120 SportsInteraction -½ +110 WilliamHill -½ +110

Posted at 11:30 AM EST. 

Regulation only. 3:00 PM EST. The Blues were outplayed in their series with the Wild, yet were able to win four of five games. This is not an isolated case. The same could be said of the Ducks and Penguins, both of which won short series after being the second-best team on the ice every night. Hockey is a funny game that more often than not comes down to which of the two goaltenders had the better night. Minnesota State Troopers are still looking for Jake Allen after he robbed the Wild in all four victories. In the third period of Game 2 of this series in St. Louis, Allen saved the day again. Vladimir Tarasenko has received all the headlines and heroics that come with scoring a pair of goals in a comeback win, but it was Allen that weathered a 14-shot third period to give the Blues a chance to win it late. It’s been a one-man goaltending show for the Blues in this year’s playoffs, as Tarasenko had just three points in the Wild series and was shut out in Game 1 of round two. The Blues continue to be the second best team on the ice in every single game they play and now they’re on the road again and one of the league’s most difficult venues. If Allen bails them out again, so be it.

The Predators may have tasted playoff defeat for the first time in 2017 after a 3-2 loss in St. Louis, but they got the split and now have home ice advantage. Sure, with a 2-1 third-period lead, the Predators would have liked a better result, but Nashville has a ton of good things to build on heading into Game 3. The Preds controlled play through the first two games of this series and outshot the Blues in both games. In Game 1, the Preds won the faceoff battle 38-23 and they’ve been the more physical team too by out-hitting the Blue Notes in both games while imposing their will. Let’s not forget that Nashville was also short-handed up front after the unfortunate injury to Kevin Fiala midway through Game 1 and the ejection of Vern Fiddler in Game 2, thus forcing them to play with just 11 forwards for most of this series and yet they still outplayed the Blues in St. Louis in both games.

If you watched Washington manhandle Pittsburgh last night, it’s a reminder that one man in hockey, the goaltender, combined with some puck luck can result in the inferior team winning often. We’re not going to bank on that occurring over and over. What we’re confident about is that the Preds are extremely likely to impose their will again at home and dominate play from start to finish. This team and their fans are hungry as a pack of wolves and we’re betting that a big response and an easy victory is in the cards today. 

 

 

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Our Pick

NASHVILLE -½ +120 (Risking 2 units - To Win: 2.40)

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Chicago +167 over Ottawa