The last week of January starts with an interesting NHL game on the schedule. The Predators travel to Canadian Tire Centre to face the Senators tonight, January 29th. Both teams are playing below expectations this season and have a chance to improve their record and fans' impressions. Furthermore, this will be the first time Nashville and Ottawa face each other in the 2023-24 NHL season.
Last season, they played two games against each other, with both teams snagging one victory. Top sports gambling apps see the home team as a 1.5-goal favorite. Let's explore the odds for this matchup and bets available to wagering with a FanDuel sports promo code.
The Senators’ Defense Is Porous
The Senators have been inconsistent this season, something evident from the 18-25-2 record. Recently, the Senators struggled, losing their last game against the Rangers 7-2, and in the previous matchups, the Bruins outscored them 3-2. The defense has been the biggest issue for Ottawa, ranking 30th in the league for goals allowed per contest with an average of 3.7 goals.
Both goaltenders Joonas Korpisalo and backup Mads Sorgard aren’t able to protect the net. Korpislao was replaced against the Rangers in the second period. The weak defense is responsible for the -14 goal differential.
On the flip side, the offense ranks 11th in goals per game. The most productive player is Brady Tkachuk, with 20 goals, while Drake Batherson has 16 goals, and Claude Giroux has 14 goals. The Senators have a shooting percentage of 10.16% and average 3.3 goals a game. Ottawa occupies the last position in the Atlantic Division, although they have played 45 matches, the fewest from all teams in the league.
The Predators Are Losing Their Offensive Edge
The Predator's story this season follows a similar script to the Senators. Nashville is solid on offense, but defense is average. On Saturday, the Oilers defeated the Predators 4-1, and the offense showed some weaknesses after they could not score on three power play opportunities.
This team scores three goals on average per game while allowing 3.1 goals. Offensively, Filip Forsberg has 23 goals, Ryan O'Reilly has 17 goals, Colton Sissons has 13, and Gustav Nyquist has 12 goals, making them the players most likely to endanger opponents' goals. Nashville has a 9.7% shooting efficiency.
Despite the issues with the defense, goaltender Juuse Saros is not at fault, and the proof is in the .904 save percentage after 38 games played. Kevin Lankinen is also reliable at the goal with a save percentage of .895 in 14 games played. Juuse Saros will likely safeguard the Predator's goal tonight.
Betting Prediction
The Senators will not be in the mood to extend their losing streak to three games, but if the defense plays as usual, they can easily lose control over this game. On Saturday, the Predators showed offensive weakness against the Oilers, opening the question of whether it was an incident or a signal of things to come.
Bookie apps offer -114 odds on a moneyline bet for the Senators and a -105 betting line for the Predators. The puck line is set at 1.5 goals with +198 odds on the favorite Ottawa and -245 odds on the Predators to cover. The total is 6.5 goals with -124 odds for the Over and +102 odds for the Under.
Predators have fared well in their recent matchup against the Senators, with six wins in their last ten meetings. The stats are on Nashville’s side of the argument, while the Ottawa team benefits from skating on home ice.
Related
Author
