- What: Nashville Predators vs Vegas Golden Knights
- When: Tuesday, February 20th, 10 PM ET
- Where: T-Mobile Arena
The reigning Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights will welcome the Nashville Predators to town on Tuesday evening for a Western Conference showdown at T-Mobile Arena. The puck is scheduled to drop at 10 PM ET. Nashville is coming off a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues on the weekend, just days after getting spanked 9-2 by the Dallas Stars. As for Vegas, they lost back-to-back games to the Minnesota Wild and the Carolina Hurricanes before taking down the San Jose Sharks on Monday, 4-0. Below, find the Predators vs Golden Knights picks.
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Predators vs Golden Knights Odds
| Team |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville Predators | +127 | +125 | +120 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | -142 | -140 | -140 |
By no surprise, the Golden Knights are the favorite with -142 odds for an implied win probability of 58.68%. The Preds come back at +127 and have a 44.05% chance of taking this one. But, history is not on their side. Vegas has won four of the last five meetings with Nashville, outscoring them 11-5 across the last three matchups.
Nashville in a Rut
It hasn't been the greatest campaign for the Predators, who are fifth in the Central Division with a 28-25-2 record. They're also just 3-6-1 in their last 10 games, which isn't exactly helping their chase of a playoff spot. Nashville had lost two in a row to the Devils and Stars before responding against the Blues, which is hopefully the start of them turning things around. The offense was thriving vs. St. Louis in this one, with five different players finding the back of the net. Filip Forsberg, Ryan O'Reilly, Colton Sissons, Luke Schenn, and Luke Evangelista all scored as the Preds netted three in the third period alone.
In goal, Juuse Saros made 35 saves on 37 shots. Nashville was actually outshot but managed to take advantage of their opportunities. They've been a respectable offensive team in 2023-24, ranking 17th in goals scored with 3.0 per game while ranking 15th in shots on goal. Forsberg is the star of the show for the Preds, scoring 26 and assisting 29 in 55 games played. Roman Josi has also hit the 50-point mark, with 39 assists and 11 goals. O'Reilly and Gustav Nyquist are two others with over 40 points apiece and continue to play their part in this team's success.
Defensively, Nashville has struggled at times keeping opponents out of their own net, conceding 3.25 goals per night. That's 22nd in the NHL. Thursday's defeat to Dallas was easily their worst performance yet as they allowed nine goals. Facing the Golden Knights won't be any easier considering the firepower they have up and down their lineup.
Golden Knights Are Legit
Vegas is the defending champs and by the looks of it, they could very well be in the Stanley Cup mix again. The Golden Knights are in second place in the Pacific Division with an impressive 32-17-6 record, trailing the high-flying Vancouver Canucks by 10 points right now. Regardless, it's clear this squad has what it takes to make another deep playoff run. Bruce Cassidy's group is scoring 3.13 goals per contest (14th) on 31.2 shots on goal per game. It's the usual suspects producing the good, with Mark Stone leading the way. He has 52 points, while Jack Eichel and Jonathan Marchessault also have 44 points apiece. In total, seven guys have a minimum of 30 points, which just shows the balance Vegas has.
The Golden Knights came out on fire on Monday, putting this game out of reach rather quickly. Michael Amadio, Karlsson, and Mason Morelli all scored in the first period to give Vegas an early 3-0 lead. Keegan Kolesar then added another in the second period. This was a much-needed victory for the champions, who were fresh off two consecutive losses.
Regardless, Vegas is 6-3-1 in their last 10 outings and remains one of the best teams in the league. It's not too often they play back-to-back games, but the Knights shouldn't have any issues coming out here and taking care of a Preds team they've dominated in recent memory. Vegas owns a 19-7-2 record on home ice this season.
Predators vs Golden Knights Picks
Vegas thrives at home and clearly plays solid hockey against the Predators. To me, the pick is obvious. Take the Golden Knights moneyline on Tuesday evening.
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