Every NHL playoff season delivers a surprise or two, and we very often get a dark horse team that comes out of nowhere to make a run. Given the strength of the Eastern Conference this year, the dark horse was always likely to emerge in the West, and we actually have two teams that fit the bill there. The Edmonton Oilers are proving that playoff inexperience need not be an issue, while the Nashville Predators, who came in as the number 8 seed in the West, have already taken a major scalp when they knocked off the Chicago Blackhawks in the opening round via the sweep. Given the nature of the win in that series, a lot of people have jumped on board the Predators bandwagon, although it should be noted that a single series win does not make a great team. If they can go on to beat the Blue in Round 2, then it may be time to start talking about Nashville as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. Find the latest NHL betting odds here.
A Closer Look At The NHL Game 2 Winning Favorites For Predators At Blues
When: Friday, April 28 at 8 PM EST
Where: Scottrade Center, St. Louis
TV: NBCSN
Live Stream: NHL.TV
NHL Odds: Nashville Predators -1½ (+260)
Why bet on the Nashville Predators
The thing that makes the Predators so dangerous is that they can find different ways to beat you. They used stifling defense and stellar goaltending to get past the Blackhawks in the opening round, but they are also not averse to getting into shootout mode if that is what the game calls for. That is the approach that they were forced to take in Game 1 of this series, as they blew a 2-goal lead twice before finally running out 4-3 winners. They are now guaranteed that split that will send home ice advantage back in their favor, which makes you wonder whether they will take a more defensive stance in Game 2 or whether they will take advantage of the blood in the water.
Why bet on the St. Louis Blues
It’s never ideal to lose the first game of a playoff series, especially when that game is on home ice, but if you are going to do it, getting it out of the way early is the way to go. This will be the first time that the Blues have faced any sort of adversity in this postseason, as they got past the Minnesota Wild in rather comfortable fashion, winning that series in 5 games. They won 3 games on the road in that series, so they are definitely not going to be panicking about heading to Nashville in this one, but they would definitely feel a whole lot better about things if they can hit the road with the series tied up at 1-1.
Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction
The Predators took advantage of their PP opportunities in Game 1, scoring two of their goals with the man advantage. The Blues need to stay out of the penalty box if they want to get back in this series. I think the Predators strike again in Game 2
