Bruins vs Predators Prediction, NHL Odds & Picks (Feb. 16)

The NHL has an exciting schedule planned for Wednesday, Feb. 15, including a matchup between the Boston Bruins and Nashville Predators. Boston enters tonight’s contest having won two straight road games while Nashville has lost its last two home games. It’ll be interesting to see which streak continues when tonight’s Bruins vs Predators showdown is said and done.

Momentum is on the Bruins’ side following a 3-2 overtime win against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. David Pastrnak scored his 39th goal of the season to win it for Boston in OT while Linus Ullmark stopped 29 of the 31 shots he faced.

Meanwhile, the Predators are coming off a 4-2 loss to the lowly Arizona Coyotes. Nashville was actually up 2-1 at one point, but three unanswered goals by Arizona sealed the Predators’ fate.

There are a plethora of betting opportunities heading into tonight’s Bruins vs Predators showdown. Here’s a look at FanDuel Sportsbook’s latest odds for the game, as well as a prediction and the best bet to make, courtesy of Betting News.

Boston Bruins vs Nashville Predators Matchup Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: Boston Bruins (40-8-5, 18-6-2 Away) vs. Nashville Predators (25-20-6, 14-9-3 Home)
• Venue & Location: Bridgestone Arena (Nashville, Tennessee)
• Date: Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023
• Game Time: 8 p.m. Eastern Time
• Bruins vs Predators TV Info: ESPN+

Bruins vs Predators Odds

Game odds are via FanDuel as of Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7:56 a.m. ET. Odds from other top online sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• Boston Bruins -1.5 (+136)
• Nashville Predators +1.5 (-168)

Over/Under

• Over 5.5 Goals (-118)
• Under 5.5 Goals (-104)

Moneyline

• Boston Bruins -194
• Nashville Predators +160

Bruins vs Predators Betting Trends

• Boston is 12-5 straight up in its last 17 games.
• Nashville is 13-13 straight up at home this season.
• The total has hit the under in eight of Boston’s last 11 games in February.
• The total has hit the over in eight of Nashville’s last nine games on Thursday.
• The total has hit the over in four of the last five Boston-Nashville matchups.

Bruins Look For More Road Success

The Bruins are one of the few NHL teams who are as nearly good on the road as they are at home. While they’re an impressive 22-2-2 at TD Garden this season, their 18-6-2 road record is nothing to sneeze at.

The Bruins currently average 3.69 goals per road game, which ranks No. 5 in the league. On top of that, they also allow the third-fewest goals in away games (2.38). It helps that the penalty kill operates at an 85.4% success rate on the road — the best in the NHL.

Now, Boston heads into Bridgestone Arena looking to win its third straight road game. For that to happen, Ullmark must continue his impressive play between the pipes. The Swedish netminder is 8-3-0 with a .937 save percentage and 1.83 goals-against average in his last 11 starts.

On top of that, Ullmark has also won eight of his last 11 road appearances, only losing to the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning over that stretch — two teams who are better than the Predators.

The Bruins also need Pastrnak to build on the momentum stemming from his OT winner. The veteran forward paces all Boston players with 38 points on the road this season and is the only player on the team to have a double-digit goal total (20) in away scenarios.

Having said that, the Predators have lost back-to-back, making them vulnerable to the Bruins’ strong road play. As long as Boston doesn’t change how it operates, winning tonight is more than a real possibility.

Predators Must Shake Off Home Struggles

From the middle to the end of January, the Predators were extremely dangerous at Bridgestone Arena, winning five games in a row. However, things haven’t been the same since the streak ended.

Nashville has dropped back-to-back home games prior to tonight’s Bruins vs Predators contest. The Predators were outscored by a combined total of 9-3 in those losses, showcasing both the struggles to score and to keep the puck out of their own net.

The Predators have now been kept to two or fewer goals in each of their last three games. On top of that, they’ve allowed four-plus goals in three of their last four outings. That’s not exactly a recipe for success.

Now, the Predators must attempt to stop the Bruins, who are one of the best teams at both ends of the ice. Projected starting goaltender Juuse Saros (per Daily Faceoff) needs to be better than he has been lately. While he’s 5-3-0 in his last eight starts, his 3.03 GAA and .909 SV% over that span are far from amazing.

Nashville also needs to step on special teams. While the Predators’ penalty kill is average (80.2%, No. 16), the power play is dreadful, only operating at a 16.5% success rate (No. 29).

Needless to say, tonight will be an uphill battle for the home team.

Bruins vs Predators Prediction and Picks

Bruins vs Predators Prediction: Bruins 4, Predators 2

Bruins vs Predators Picks: Bruins ML (Best Value: -194 at FanDuel) & Over 5.5 Goals (Best Value: -118 at FanDuel)

The Predators’ recent poor play at home has resulted in my siding with the Bruins tonight. Nashville can’t score or stop the puck at home, whereas Boston does both things better than most on the road. The fact that the Bruins have momentum from their latest win will only make achieving victory easier.

On top of backing a Boston victory, I also recommend backing the total to go over 5.5 goals. Six of the last eight Bruins vs Predators matchups have seen more than 5.5 goals scored. Even if Boston does most of the heavy lifting, surpassing that total won’t take much effort.