The visiting team still rules supreme in the first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series between the Anaheim Ducks and the Nashville Predators.
The Ducks have now tied the series at two games apiece after their impressive Game 4 victory this Thursday, but the Predators are far from letting this series slip away. Who will seize the upper hand with a win this Saturday in an ever so crucial Game 5 battle at the Honda Center? Let’s break down this tense rivalry below.
Afterwards, head on over to our previews for Islanders vs. Panthers and Rangers vs. Penguins for a pair of equally intriguing Eastern Conference showdowns worth placing some stakes at as well.
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Nashville Predators vs. Anaheim Ducks Game 5 Preview
Where: Honda Center, Los Angeles
When: Saturday, April 23, 6:00 PM ET
Line: Nashville Predators at Anaheim Ducks – view all NHL lines
TV Broadcast: TBA
Betting on the Nashville Predators
The Predators fell this Thursday, 4-1, in Game 4 of their playoff series against the Ducks, who have stormed back to tie the series at 2-2. Squandering the two-game series lead against the defending Pacific Division champs has got to hurt this Nashville team that’s looking for its first conference semifinal berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for just the third time in franchise history.
For the second-straight contest, the Preds actually outshot the Ducks (31-25 in Game 4, 27-21 in Game 3). However, their shot selection has been rather iffy at that, hence the paltry one-goal output over the past couple of games. To be specific, the team’s power play unit has not generated any offense with the upper hand, going 0-for-6 in Game 4 in power play situations and 1-of-19 for the entire series.
Even goalie Pekka Rinne, ironically, looks a bit lost in spite of playing in front of the Music City crowd. Rinne made just 21 saves on Thursday, and is currently having the worst goals-against average of his postseason career (2.76) against Anaheim.
Here’s to hoping that the Predators find away to draw out their magic from their first two meetings with the Ducks, because before the wins in Games 1 and 2, they are just 1-6 in their last seven road games to close out the regular season.
Betting on the Anaheim Ducks
Don’t look now, but the Anaheim Ducks are starting to look every bit like the Western Conference finalists from last season again.
Not only are the Ducks flying high with a two-game win streak to dig themselves out of a win-less playoff series hole, their victories in this series have been much more dominant that those of Nashville’s. Both of Anaheim’s wins were decided by three goals, whereas the Predators had to eke out of their Game 1 and 2 victories each by just a single point.
Look no further than Frederik Andersen as the reason for the Ducks’ recent success. The Danish goalie stopped 30 shots in Game 4, and even had his career-best shutout streaking going before Nashville’s Mike Fisher scored a goal in the second period of Thursday’s contest. And just so you know, Andersen held the Predators scoreless for 91 minutes and 26 seconds straight before they got back on the board in Game 4.
Anaheim’s offense is more fluid as well, getting four goals in Thursday from four different sources, and with 13 players on the roster having registered a point in this series one way or another.
Then again, perhaps the Ducks would rather play Saturday’s Game 5 showdown at Bridgestone Arena than back at their beloved City of Angels, as they are just 6-4 over their last 10 home games (5-1-4 ATS), including those two untimely defeats to start off the postseason.
Writer’s Prediction
The home team finally wins a bout in this series as the Ducks edge past the Predators, 4-2.
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