The Nashville Predators looked to be in control of this series after the first three games, taking a 2-1 lead, but now they are in big trouble. The Dallas Stars bounced back in a big way to win games 4 and 5 of the series and can close it out on Monday night. Nashville was the Central Division champion with 100 points during the regular season, but they need to regroup in a hurry.
There weren’t many goals scored in the first three games of the series, but that has changed in the last two contests. The Dallas Stars have managed to score five goals in each of the last two games and will have plenty of confidence heading into Game 6. Dallas knows that they don’t want to head back to Nashville for a Game 7, and this is a must-win game.
The Stars are -125 for Game 6 against the Nashville Predators.
Stars Offense On a Roll
The Dallas Stars averaged just 2.55 goals per game during the regular season, but they have figured something out in this series. Right winger Alexander Radulov leads the team with four goals so far this postseason, including two of them in the Game 5 victory. The Stars are converting on more than 21 percent of their power-play chances, and they know how to capitalize when given an opportunity.
Dallas allowed just 2.44 goals per game during the regular season, which was the second-best mark in the league. The Stars want to slow the game down, especially against an explosive offense of the Nashville Predators. Veteran goalie Ben Bishop has stopped 94 percent of the shots he has faced in this series and has the ability to carry his team to the second round.
Rinne Must Be Better in Net
Speaking of goaltenders; the Nashville Predators need Pekka Rinne to be much better than he has been in Game 6. Rinne has put together a terrific career in Nashville, but he has been a mess in the last two games against the stars. The veteran has stopped just 88 percent of the shots he has faced and has already been replaced once in this series. Nashville will continue to ride with Rinne, but he has to deliver in Game 6.
The Nashville Predators have one of the most talented rosters in the NHL, but they need their stars to provide some scoring to extend this series. The Predators have scored just 11 goals so far in the first five games of this series, and they will need at least three of them in Game 6. Center Rocco Grimaldi leads the team with three goals this postseason, and defenseman Roman Josi has chipped in with two. The Predators will need to score early to take some pressure off of their struggling goaltender.
Nashville Forces a Game 7
Dallas is looking to stun the top-seeded Predators, but they have their work cut out for them in Game 6. The Stars should get a boost from their home crowd, but closing out a series is always a tough task. Nashville knows how to keep a series alive, and they will get just enough offense to get the job done in game six. This series is going to a Game 7. Bet the Nashville Predators +110 over the Dallas Stars in Game 6.
