Vancouver Canucks vs. Nashville Predators Pick and Prediction – May 3, 2024

VANCOUVER CANUCKS VS. NASHVILLE PREDATORS EXPERT PICK AND PREDICTION – May 3, 2024 — Everything was set up for Vancouver to finish the job and take down Nashville in Game 5. The Canucks fed off the crowd, dominated the first 20 minutes, played their brand of hockey. And yet…they couldn’t put a puck in the net over the course of 40 minutes.

And that opened the door for Nashville to find its footing and get into the game. The Canucks eventually found the opening goal, but the Predators rebounded and flipped things around, scoring twice in the final period. And now Nashville has momentum and the knowledge that it’s very capable of playing with this Canucks squad when it matters most.

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Even though the Predators took the wild card, they haven’t looked overmatched at any point in this series. Nashville has actually tied Vancouver in goals scored in the series, with each team lighting the lamp 12 times. Both sides have two power play goals in the series, and both have won by either scoring twice or four times in their victories. As long as the Predators can handle the pressure, this has the feel of a seven-game series.

The Odds

Puck Drop

When: Friday, May 3 at 8 p.m. EST

Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tenn.

TV: ESPN

Public Bets: Unavailable

Public Money: Unavailable

Odds courtesy of DraftKings, as of May 1st, 2024

Vancouver Canucks vs. Nashville Predators In-Season Trends

Backing the underdog on the puckline has been the way to go in this series. Only in Game 1 — a 4-2 Vancouver win on home ice — has the favored team covered the -1.5 spread. Otherwise, it’s either been a one-goal margin or a rout for the visiting team.

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The other trend that’s cashing regularly is playing the under. Vancouver’s goaltending continues to hold out, and Nashville is perfectly happy to play a defensive brand of hockey. Throw in that neither team is really doing a lot with the power play (combined, the teams have gone 4-for-30 with a man advantage), and you’ve got a recipe for some low-scoring games.

Players to Watch

Filip Forsberg came up big when his team needed him most. Big players make big plays in April and May, and Forsberg delivered with a pair of big assists in the third period of Game 5. He’s likely to be the first place Nashville looks when it tries to get the offense going in this one.

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J.T. Miller played his best hockey of the series in the two games in Nashville, scoring three assists in Game 4 and a goal and an assist in Game 3. After Vancouver struggled to find offense in Game 5, it will need someone to step up and create some momentum in the face of Nashville’s crowd. Miller is likely to be the one to provide the spark. 

The Pick

This series has been far too even to end here. Nashville overcame the stomach punch of Game 4 to keep its season alive, and the Predators know they were the better team in both games played in Tennessee.

Eventually, the better team comes through with a win. That hasn’t happened since Game 2, as Nashville controlled the play in Games 3 and 4 and Vancouver controlled the action in Game 5. All three went to the other team, a bizarre trend. That’s something that should end here. Nashville takes control of the game and sends this back to British Columbia.