NHL Odds, Pick, Prediction: Senators vs. Predators (March 29)
Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images. Pictured: Nick Holden
- The Predators are healthy home favorites on Tuesday night against Ottawa.
- The Senators have played teams tough this season despite being out of the postseason mix.
- Our analyst breaks down the matchup and why Ottawa could survive a puck-line bet tonight.
Senators vs. Predators Odds
| Senators Odds | +185 |
| Predators Odds | -230 |
| Over/Under | 6 (-115/-105) |
| Time | 8 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN+ |
| Odds via BetMGM. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
The Atlantic Division's seventh-place Ottawa Senators travel to Nashville to take on the Central Division's third-place Predators. This is the first meeting between these two teams this season.
Will the Predators cover the puck line as big favorites on home ice, or can the Senators keep this game close?
Senators Tough Despite Struggles
The Senators enter this contest following Saturday's 4-3 shootout loss to the Florida Panthers. Priced as a large underdog, Ottawa covered the puck line in that matchup.
That's nothing new for the Sens as they have covered the puck line in eight of their last 12 games when priced as the underdog. Ottawa is an extremely easy team to overlook and is frustrating for many teams to play against due to its physical play and unwillingness to give up each and every night despite the fact that the season is essentially over.
Another huge reason for the Senators' games remaining close has been the superb goaltending from Anton Forsberg, this contest's projected starter. Forsberg is not afraid of the road either, as he boasts an impeccable 0.946 save percentage over his last seven starts away from home.
The Senators were underdogs in all seven of those road games and covered the spread in five of them. While I think Ottawa could definitely steal this game straight up, at the bare minimum I expect them to keep It at least a one-goal game.
Predators' Saros Scuffling
The Predators enter this contest having lost two of their last three games and will look to bounce back against Ottawa. Nashville is priced as a large favorite in this matchup, a position that has not been profitable for its backers as of late.
Nashville is just 4-10 against the spread over its last 14 games when priced as the favorite. The main cause for the turbulence has been the inconsistent play of goaltender Juuse Saros, who is the projected starter in this matchup.
While Saros is usually great between the pipes, he has been in a rut recently as he possesses a mere 0.880 save percentage over his last five starts. In the month of March, Saros has had some poor outings against typically low-scoring teams as he has allowed three or more goals in starts against Seattle, Philadelphia (2x) and Anaheim.
If Saros continues his poor play, the Predators will need to lean on their offense to get the win against Ottawa and the red-hot Forsberg. While the Predators' offense is very good and is capable of winning, I am not sure they will pull away by enough to cover the puck line.
Senators vs. Predators Pick
While these two teams have not squared off this season, the Predators have not historically dominated this matchup as they have won by two or more goals in just two out of the last six meetings.
With Saros in a funk and Forsberg playing the best hockey of his career, I think the Senators are more than capable of keeping this one close.
Getting "Sens'd" is a common phrase in the hockey social media space when Ottawa pulls off a big upset as It happens so often. The Senators usually play down and up to their competition, and I think they will play up to Nashville's level in this contest.
Pick: Ottawa Senators +1.5 (-125) | Play up to (-135)
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