Chicago Blackhawks vs Nashville Predators

Nashville at -210 on the moneyline is rich but justified when you combine their 12-6-0 surge since December 1, strong special teams, and a pronounced matchup edge: the Preds are 8-2-0 in their last 10 against Chicago, have earned at least a point in 31 of the last 36 meetings, and Saros owns a 14-4-2 career mark with a 2.17 GAA and .926 save percentage versus the Blackhawks.([nhl.com](https://www.nhl.com/predators/news/game-day-blackhawks-vs-preds-january-10-2025-01-10)) Chicago’s recent four-game heater featured excellent work from Knight and Soderblom, but last night’s 5-1 loss came with both regular goalies sidelined by illness and left them travel-weary on a back-to-back, even as Bedard returned from a shoulder injury to reclaim the team scoring lead; their 18-18-7 record has them fighting uphill in the Central, whereas the Predators’ 20-19-4 mark and recent home form (six wins in their last seven at Bridgestone) put them slightly ahead in the playoff race and desperate to protect home ice.([nhl.com](https://www.nhl.com/predators/news/game-day-blackhawks-vs-preds-january-10-2025-01-10)) Factoring in Chicago’s compromised goaltending depth, Marchessault’s continued absence for Nashville, Saros’ historical dominance in this matchup, and the four-point swing implications in the standings, the Predators moneyline is a high-probability but lower-value play that I grade as a B for balancing solid win likelihood with modest return at this price. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 10/01/2026 09:55

The total of 6, with the under at -110, leans toward a tighter game script than Chicago’s recent scorelines suggest, but it aligns with how Nashville typically suffocates this matchup and how the scheduling spot sets up: the Predators have held Chicago to two or fewer goals in 29 of the last 36 meetings, Saros has a 2.17 career GAA versus the Hawks, and Nashville’s home penalty kill is operating at an NHL-best rate near 90% while the overall PK sits top-10.([nhl.com](https://www.nhl.com/predators/news/game-day-blackhawks-vs-preds-january-10-2025-01-10)) Even with Bedard back and Bertuzzi riding a heater, Chicago’s offense has to contend with elite home special teams and tired legs on a back-to-back, while Nashville’s recent home wins (including 2-1 and 4-3 grinders) show a preference for structured, lower-event hockey despite occasional blowups like the 6-2 loss in Edmonton.([nhl.com](https://www.nhl.com/predators/news/game-day-blackhawks-vs-preds-january-10-2025-01-10)) With Marchessault still out, the Predators’ top six loses a finisher, which subtly tilts this away from a track meet and toward a 3-2 or 4-1 type scoreline; combining the head-to-head under trend, Saros’ history against Chicago, and Chicago’s fatigue/injury context, I like Under 6 at -110 enough to grade it a B+ for a strong probability edge at a fair price. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 10/01/2026 09:55

Taking Nashville -1.5 at -115 is more aggressive but leverages the same matchup edges that support the moneyline, with added emphasis on margin: the Predators have dominated Chicago over the past several seasons, going 27-5-4 with at least a point in 31 of 36 and winning many of those by multiple goals while Saros has consistently outclassed Blackhawks shooters.([nhl.com](https://www.nhl.com/predators/news/game-day-blackhawks-vs-preds-january-10-2025-01-10)) Chicago’s situation — travel and a back-to-back after a 5-1 home defeat, ongoing flu issues that already sidelined Knight and Soderblom, and Bedard just one game removed from a month-long shoulder absence — makes a third-period fade more likely if Nashville leans on its depth, especially with O’Reilly, Forsberg and Stamkos driving possession for a club that has not lost back-to-back games since late November and has been one of the West’s winningest teams since December 1.([nhl.com](https://www.nhl.com/predators/news/game-day-blackhawks-vs-preds-january-10-2025-01-10)) That said, with Marchessault and depth pieces like Wiesblatt out, there is slightly less scoring redundancy if Nashville gets an early lead, so while I expect the Predators to carry play often enough to convert a multi-goal win around a 4-2 or 4-1 score, the combination of variance on the empty-net and Chicago’s recent competitive form keeps this at a B- grade from a risk-reward standpoint. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 10/01/2026 09:55