Vancouver Canucks vs. Nashville Predators Pick and Prediction – April 28, 2024

VANCOUVER CANUCKS VS. NASHVILLE PREDATORS EXPERT PICK AND PREDICTION – April 28, 2024 — It’s rare to see a team apologize for the way it won a game, but that’s practically what Vancouver did after Game 3. To a man, the Canucks all but admitted that there’s no way they’re winning again playing the way they did in Game 3.

And that’s both a testament to Vancouver’s mettle in this series and a reason for Nashville to remain hopeful. The Predators held the Canucks to just 12 shots in Game 3, a 2-1 win for Vancouver. At the same time, they were aggressive; they just ran into Vancouver’s willingness to block shots.

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That’s been kind of a key to this series to this point: the team that’s been willing to get in the way and give up its body has had the better of the play. Nashville blocked 30 shots in Game 2 and earned a victory in the process. The Canucks didn’t force the Predators to get down on the ice in Game 3, but Vancouver likely will do that in this game.

That’s because the Canucks know they need more aggression than they showed in Game 3 if they hope to win this series. The Predators feel the same way, which should make for an inspired battle in Game 4.

The Odds

Puck Drop

When: Saturday, April 27 at 5 p.m. EST

Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tenn.

TV: TBS

Public Bets: 86% on Nashville

Public Money: 55% on Nashville

Odds courtesy of DraftKings, as of April 28th, 2024

Vancouver Canucks vs. Nashville Predators In-Season Trends

Even though the over has cashed in three of the past six meetings, three goals have been enough to win every time. The losing team in this matchup has not scored more than twice in the game since March 2023, when the teams played a stretch of three straight overtime games.

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Since then, it’s been a low-scoring experience for one team, and that team has usually been Nashville. Only once, in the win in Game 2, have the Predators managed to light the lamp more than twice.

The lower-scoring games so far have favored Vancouver, but that tide might turn soon. Nashville was an under team during the year, playing more than half of its games to the lower total and hitting it twice in this series.

Players to Watch

Filip Forsberg had a five-game point streak and scored goals in four of those games before getting blanked in Game 3 against the Canucks. With the home crowd behind their star and Forsberg showing no hesitation at shooting the puck, he’s a good bet to find the mesh in this game.

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Quinn Hughes isn’t the first name that jumps off the page when you think points, because assists make up the overwhelming majority of his scoring. He came up with 75 of them this season, and he’s Vancouver’s leading scorer in this series with four assists. Nashville has to know where he is on the ice at all times, especially during Vancouver’s power play.

The Pick

The Canucks were lucky to win Game 3, and they know it. With Nashville’s crowd out in full force on a Sunday afternoon, the Canucks aren’t going to be able to play the same way they did last time and get a result.

Expect the Predators to come out firing and looking to get the crowd into this game early. The Predators have one of the best home-ice advantages in the league in April, and if they can get the first goal here, it’ll go a long way toward evening this series.