Nashville seemingly has great value in the November 12th NHL betting free pick as the Predators are listed at just -125 against Vancouver. Yes Peter Laviolette’s team has dropped two in a row, but the Canucks (VAN +105) are in the midst of a four game skid. Vancouver has also gone 4-1-2 at Rogers Arena this season – should the home team actually be the favorite here?
Can Nashville Rediscover Their Potent Offense?
The total for Tuesday night’s game is 6 which is very much the standard (if not higher) with Nashville’s top notch offense in action. The Predators net 4.0 goals per game, which is second highest in the league behind the Capitals. Filip Forsberg has 8 goals and 13 total points even while playing in just 11 games. Defenseman Roman Josi has average a point per game in his 17 outings.
The reason the Preds’ have hit a bit of a rut heading into the November 12th NHL betting free pick is because that offense has been contained as of late. Well, Nashville hasn’t exactly been contained, but they can’t seem to get their offense and defense on the same page. The Predators have lost 4 of 5 and that includes a 1-2 loss to San Jose, a 4-9 loss to the Avalanche, a 1-2 loss to the Rangers and a 5-6 OT defeat to Calgary. Nashville totals are either going to soar over – or fall well under. Vancouver has a solid defense so the latter may be the case here.
One of the major reasons Nashville has value even on the road is because they have Pekka Rinne going in net. The veteran has posted a record of 8-1-1 on the season but needs a big night in net against the Canucks’ #11 scoring offense to regain some confidence. Rinne had allowed 2 goals or less in 7 of 8 games to start the season but has allowed 5+ in 2 of the last 3. Those rough outings came while not facing many shots either, 22 at Colorado and 27 at home vs. the Flames. Vancouver peppers the net to the tune of 34.2 SOG per.
Vancouver No Stranger to Offensive Struggles
It’s not hard to find the culprit behind Vancouver’s 4-game losing streak. The Canucks have scored just 5 goals total in the last four, and they were -130 favorites or better in three of those contests.
One of Vancouver’s strengths is their defense, a unit that has allowed 2 goals or less in 6 of the last 10. The Canucks are still just 4-3-3 over that span though. The Canucks do have a bit of an edge being at home though as they are 4-1-2 at the Rogers Arena on the season. They did have a 5 goal and a 7 goal scored stretch in 2 games at home at the end of October, but have lost 1-2 to St. Louis and 1-2 to New Jersey in their last two in Vancouver.
It could be a low scoring night with Thatcher Demko between the pipes. Demko has a GAA under 2.00 on the season which is 2nd in the league and his .933 save % is third best in the NHL. Demko has posted a 4-2 record on the season despite being an underdog in 4 of his 6 starts.
November 12th NHL Betting Free Pick
Do the Canucks actually have an edge in net with their youngster vs. the up-and-down Rinne? Vancouver’s offense has just been so down as of late that they are tough to back in this one. The Preds have had the last two nights off and they should get a great outing from Rinne. It’s just all on the Nashville offense here:
Pick: Nashville Predators -125
