L.A. Kings at Nashville Predators Betting Odds
Opening Moneyline: L.A. +105 / Nashville -125 O/U 5.5 goals
Time: 8 PM EST Thursday March 4, 2010
Tonight in a Western Match up between a couple teams that have been a surprise this season the Nashville Predators host the L.A. Kings. Nobody really expected much from either team, but the Kings are in the 4th position in the West while the Predators are in the 6th position. The Kings have 80 points, which is one more point than they had all last season.
The Predators are 5-3-2 in their last 10 games and the Kings are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games.
Nashville is a solid team on home ice, but tonight they face the Kings who have the best away record in the NHL.
This season Nashville is 17-11-2 at home and L.A. is 20-11-1 on the road.
In their last games both won in their first game since the Olympic break, as the Kings beat the Dallas Stars 5-1 on Tuesday night and the Predators beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 also on Tuesday night.
The Kings have lost 5 straight games to the Predators.
The Kings have to stay out of the penalty box in this game, as the Predators have scored in the power play in their last 7 games. That will not be easy for the Kings, who have averaged 12 penalty minutes per game.
Nashville has a solid defense allowing an average of 2.79 goals per game and they will have to play well against a Kings' offense that ranks 8th in the league in scoring (2.94 goals per game). They will really have to key on Anze Kopitar, who leads the Kings in goals (29) and points (65).
Predators' G Pekka Rinne (21 wins 2.81 GAA save percentage 90.1%) has to play well between the pipes tonight.
The Kings do have a great offense, but their defense has been solid as well and G Jonathan Quick (36 wins 2.50 GAA save percentage 90.9%) was on fire before the Olympic break. Quick has 31 saves in the Kings' win on Tuesday night and in his last 12 starts he is 11-1 with a GAA of only 2.14.
L.A. is 8-1 in their last 9 road games, has an Over record of 4-1-1 in their last 6 road games against teams with a winning home record, and an Under record of 8-3-1 their last 12 games against teams with a winning record.
Nashville is 0-4 in their last 4 games against teams with a winning percentage above 60%, has an Over record of 6-1 in their last 7 games, and an Over record of 5-1 in their last 6 home games.
The Kings are only 2-6 in their last 8 games in Nashville.
Our Selection : The Predators beat The Oilers 4-3 but everyone beats Edmonton. Nashville is 0-4 in their last 4 games against teams with a winning percentage above 60%, they have a Over record of 6-1 in their last 7 games, and an Over record of 5-1 in their last 6 home games. The Kings have lost 5 straight games to the Predators and are 2-6 in their last eight visits to Nashville. The Kings have an Over record of 4-1-1 in their last 6 road games against teams with a winning home record. Take Over 5.5 goals.
Future Betting Odds
NHL Handicapping
Tampa Bay Lightning at Boston Bruins 5-17
The Boston Bruins need to play much better in game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bruins lost the opener 5-2 at home and can ill-afford to fall behind 2-0 to Lightning. Tampa Bay are on quite a roll, winning their last eight in a row in the playoffs. The oddsmaker at Bodog have the Bruins as a -145 favorite to even-up the series.