Saturday’s busy NHL slate will feature a big Western Conference clash between the Colorado Avalanche (46-21-6) and Nashville Predators (43-26-4). Colorado will be looking for revenge after losing both of the first two head-to-head meetings this season.
Bookmaker BetOnline has the Avalanche as the odds-on favorite for the match-up. The odds are at -179 for Colorado to win the game and +140 for the hosts to beat the -1.5 puck line. Meanwhile, the odds are at +159 for the streaking Predators to add another win to their account.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: March 29th, 10:00 P.M. (EST)
Nashville heads to Denver after going 16-1-2 across its last 19 outings. The team was on an 18-game point streak before getting taken out 8-4 by Arizona on Thursday.
Andrew Brunette’s men now need to show character and bounce back on Saturday to keep their playoff push going. The Predators currently hold the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference but also have a chance to sneak into the top three in the Central Division, which is surely a great motivator for the squad.
Brunette’s team has produced impressive defensive numbers during the recent surge up the table, while Filip Forsberg’s spectacular form has helped the offense to keep ticking. The Swedish winger has had a special campaign, becoming the first player in franchise history to have multiple 40-goal seasons and also the first with more than one 80-point year.
Forsberg is riding a seven-game goal streak ahead of Saturday’s action, and Colorado clearly needs to find a way to cool him down to have a chance of finally beating Nashville this season.
The first clash between the teams was a tight 4-3 affair in November, but the Predators completely dominated the second game at the start of this month, winning 5-1. Both games took place in Nashville, and Forberg & Co. will likely face a different team on Saturday.
The Avalanche have lost their last two home outings but have played fantastic hockey at the Ball Arena for most of the campaign, going 28-7-1. Nathan MacKinnon, in particular, has had a season to remember. Colorado’s superstar registered a point in all 35 home games before the New York Rangers finally ended his streak on Thursday in a 3-2 shootout win. Only Wayne Gretzky has had a longer season-opening home point streak in NHL history with a 40-game effort in 1988-89.
MacKinnon’s work on home ice this season includes 29 goals and 77 points. He’s had a career year with 123 points (45 goals, 78 assists) in total across 73 appearances and should be fired up to get back on track in Saturday’s contest.
