The No.8 seed in the Western Conference of the NHL Playoffs, the Nashville Predators, are playing with the composure of a top-four team as they head to Joe Louis Arena for Game 5 against the top-seeded and Presidents' Trophy-winning Detroit Red Wings. BetOnline.com has the Detroit Red Wings –280 odds favorites against the Nashville Predators +230 with the over/under set at 5 goals.
It appeared to be grim for the Predators as they headed home down 0-2 after dropping the first two games in Detroit. But Nashville used the tremendous support of their home fans to take the next two games, weathering a few stormy moments from the explosive Red Wings. However, if the Predators are really going to pull off one of the biggest upsets in NHL history, they are going to need more production out of captain Jason Arnott, whose only point of the series to date was the game-winning goal in Game 3. J.P. Dumont, who tied with Arnott for the team lead in scoring with 72 points during the regular season, has been held to a single assist with a rating of -4. The Predators need their best players to step it up a notch, especially on the road.
The Red Wings have been getting spotty goaltending from Dominik Hasek, who has a save percentage of .888 and a GAA of 2.91, which are well above his regular-season totals of .902 and 2.14. Detroit has Chris Osgood waiting in the wings, and he stopped all 13 shots he faced when taking over for Hasek in the second half of Game 4. The offense is playing well, led by Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, but Hasek's disparaging form in the last game could prompt a change. Hasek and Osgood nearly split the season's 82-game load anyway, so a goalie switch would not hurt the Red Wings as much as many other teams.
The Red Wings are deserving -280 home favorites in this contest, as they had the most wins at home in the NHL this season, while Nashville were only .500 on the road. But the Predators played the Red Wings surprisingly close in the first two games despite the losses, so they would love to grab a win in Game 5 before heading home for Game 6. However, the experience of Detroit should be the difference as the Red Wings will take a 3-2 series lead on Friday. Get your NHL Playoffs Pick in Now!
Nashville Predators at Detroit Red Wings – 7:30 PM ET
Free NHL Playoffs Pick: Detroit Red Wings
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