The Nashville Predators and Arizona Coyotes square off in Game 4 of their best-of-five Western Conference qualification round series Friday at Rogers Place in Edmonton. The puck is scheduled to drop at 2:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the Coyotes-Predators NHL betting odds and lines, with picks and best bets.
Series: Coyotes lead 2-1.
Coyotes vs. Predators: Projected starting goalies
Darcy Kuemper vs. Pekka Rinne
Kuemper stopped 39 of the 40 shots he faced in Game 3, and he has the Coyotes on the precipice of their first playoff series victory since 2012 when they were called the Phoenix Coyotes. That last series triumph came in the 2012 Western Conference semifinals against the Predators. Meanwhile, these Coyotes have a lot more work to do to get through to the next round, but they have to be gaining a lot of confidence behind Kuemper.
Juuse Saros allowed three goals on 27 shots in Game 3 as the Predators are trailing in this series for the second time and are now on the brink. Coach John Hynes is on record saying the team would need both Saros and Rinne to win this series. Perhaps with the Preds facing elimination, a change will be made. If Saros does start, his leash will be super short. Either way, it’s a tough spot for the six-seed to be in.
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Coyotes vs. Predators: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.
Prediction
Predators 3, Coyotes 2
Moneyline (ML)
The PREDATORS (-139) turned to Saros, their goaltender of the future, in Games 1 through 3, but they might need to turn back the clock and roll with their all-time franchise leader in playoff victories in Rinne. Hynes has been mum on his Game 4 starter, and very careful to tip his hand, but he’ll catch a lot of flak back in the Music City if he sticks with Saros and the Preds are excused against a Coyotes (+120) team they were heavily favored to oust. BET ON THE VERTERAN LEADERSHIP OF NASHVILLE.
New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Predators to win returns a profit of $7.19, while a $10 wager on the Coyotes would net a profit of $12.
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
The Predators (-1.5, +200) have really struggled in this series, and even though this is a rather tempting price, you cannot back them with the way they have been playing against the Coyotes (+1.5, -250). Nashville has given bettors zero confidence that it will be able to push past a red-hot Kuemper. Betting the moneyline is fine for Nashville, but AVOID the puck line.
Over/Under (O/U)
UNDER 5 (+120) is the play. The Under hit in Game 3 with a 4-1 Coyotes victory, thanks in large part to the power outage for the Predators, but that O/U was 5.5. Expect the scripts to be flipped in Game 4, with the Coyotes failing to flick the goal switch and the Preds doing enough to win.
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