Predators vs Hurricanes

Sebastian Aho and the Carolina Hurricanes host Juuse Saros and the Nashville Predators tonight with Carolina looking to rebound from a 5-1 home loss to Toronto while Nashville rides a 4-1 run over its last five after Thursday’s 2-1 OT win in Florida. The Hurricanes’ 16-8-2 mark, league-best shot suppression, and top-tier shot volume at Lenovo Center give them a clear territorial edge against a Predators team that still sits 10-13-4 despite its recent surge and is missing depth pieces like Zachary L’Heureux (IR) plus banged-up regulars Michael McCarron, Justin Barron and Nick Perbix. Carolina isn’t fully healthy either with Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Pyotr Kochetkov sidelined and Jaccob Slavin on injured reserve, but their forward depth led by Aho, Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis has historically punished Nashville, with Aho carrying 25 points in 24 career games versus the Predators and Svechnikov adding 14 points in 16. Saros has often kept this matchup closer than it should be and owns a strong .923 save percentage and 2.62 GAA lifetime against Carolina despite a losing record, yet the combination of Carolina’s home-ice shot share, Nashville’s defensive injuries and the Canes’ overall form still leans toward the favorite prevailing more often than the implied odds of 196 on Nashville versus -240 on Carolina suggest. I’m backing the Hurricanes on the moneyline at -240, grading it a B- play due to solid win probability but limited value at this price. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 06/12/2025 09:39am

With the total set at 6, the matchup profile leans under: Nashville’s recent 2-1 OT win in Florida underscores how comfortably Juuse Saros can drag games into low-scoring territory, and two of the most recent meetings between these clubs finished 3-1 and 5-2, both at six goals or fewer, even when Carolina generated plenty of looks. The Hurricanes’ season line of roughly 3.3 goals for and 2.9 against is backed by elite shot metrics but a sputtering power play and recent offensive wobble (just one goal versus Toronto), while Nashville’s offense has improved behind Filip Forsberg, Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Ryan O’Reilly without turning into a pure run-and-gun team. Injuries to Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jaccob Slavin remove a middle-six creator and Carolina’s best shutdown defender, but with Pyotr Kochetkov out the Canes likely turn to Frederik Andersen or Brandon Bussi behind a structure that still limits high-danger chances, whereas Nashville’s own absences (L’Heureux, McCarron, Barron, Perbix) mostly trim depth rather than add scoring upside. Given Saros’ 2.62 GAA and .923 save percentage versus Carolina and his proven ability to withstand massive shot volumes in this specific matchup, plus Carolina’s preference for controlling rather than trading chances, a 3-2 type result appears more frequent than the books imply, so Under 6 at -110 earns a B+ as a slightly higher-confidence and better-value position. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 06/12/2025 09:39am

The puckline sets up nicely for Nashville, which has recently played Carolina tough: the Predators won 3-1 in Raleigh on March 25 behind 34 saves from Saros in his 200th career win and took a 5-2 decision last December powered by two Jonathan Marchessault goals plus tallies from Steven Stamkos and Ryan O’Reilly, showing their now top-heavy core can finish even when outshot. Nashville enters at 10-13-4 but has won four of its past five, and Saros’ history in this matchup—highlighted by his 64-save masterpiece in Raleigh in 2023—suggests he can again keep the margin tight against a Hurricanes side that has dropped three of five and is missing key pieces in Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Slavin and Kochetkov. Carolina still drives play territorially and deserves its hefty -240 moneyline status, yet its recent scoring inconsistency, bottom-tier power play and reliance on grinding, five-on-five pressure rather than true track meets all reduce the likelihood of routine multi-goal wins, especially with Nashville’s top unit (Forsberg–O’Reilly–Stamkos/Marchessault plus Roman Josi) capable of striking on limited chances. With the market asking -130 for Nashville +1.5 versus -110 on the Carolina -1.5 side, backing the Predators to stay within a goal (or even steal another tight one) offers a strong mix of probability and price, so I grade Predators +1.5 at -130 as an A- puckline play. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 06/12/2025 09:39am