Game 4 between the Anaheim Ducks and the Nashville Predators in this season’s best-of-seven Western Conference Finals is set for this Thursday night at Bridgestone Arena. The puck is set to drop at 8 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast nationally on NBC Sports Network.
Anaheim at Nashville Game Overview
Anaheim dropped Game 1 of this series 3-2 at home as -112 favorites and it now finds itself trailing again after losing Game 3 on the road 2-1 as a +131 underdog. After taking Game 2 OVER the closing five-goal total line with five goals on their own, the Ducks helped to keep Tuesday’s loss UNDER the same closing line with just one lone goal on the night. Prior to the loss in Game 3, the total had gone OVER or ended as a PUSH in six of their previous seven games.
After losing the first two games of its conference semifinal’s matchup against Edmonton with a combined four goals, Anaheim reeled off three-straight victories in that series by scoring a combined total of 14 goals. The Ducks are at their best when players such as Ryan Getzlaf, Jakob Silfverberg and Rickard Rakell are lighting the lamp. This trio has combined for 23 goals and 20 assists in the Ducks’ first 14 playoff games.
The Predators have been the story in this season’s Stanley Cup Playoffs fueled by their opening round four-game sweep of No. 1 seed Chicago. They have taken a much more defensive approach to winning their first two series and gaining the early 2-1 edge in this matchup and as a result the total has stayed UNDER or ended as a PUSH in 11 of their first 13 playoff games. Nashville has also made the most of home ice with a perfect 6-0 record at Bridgestone Arena in the postseason.
Trailing 1-0 heading into the third period of Tuesday night’s Game 3, Filip Forsberg tallied his six goal of the playoffs to tie the game before Roman Josi scored the eventual game winner late in the period to notch his fifth postseason goal. These two players have led the way in goals during Nashville’s impressive playoff run and center Ryan Johansen leads the team in total points on the strength of his 10 assists. Much of the credit still needs to go to goalie Pekka Rinne. After getting shelled for five goals in Game 2, he quickly bounced back by turning away 19 of the 20 shots he faced in Tuesday’s win.
Anaheim at Nashville Game Betting Trends
- The Ducks have won six of their last seven games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game and they are 24-9 in their last 33 games played on Thursday. The total has gone OVER or ended as a PUSH in eight of their last 10 road games.
- The Predators 9-2 in their last 11 games after allowing two or less goals in their previous outing and they are 20-7 in their last 27 home games. The total has stayed UNDER or ended as a PUSH in 11 of their last 12 games played at home.
- Head-to-head in this conference finals’ matchup, the home team has won five of the last six meetings and the total has stayed UNDER or ended as a PUSH in the last six meetings in Nashville.
