The Chicago Blackhawks (11-23-2) travel to face off against the Nashville Predators (20-16-1) on Tuesday, January 2nd. This game will be played at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The Predators are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Blackhawks are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Stars. Puck drop is set for 8:00 ET.

Chicago Blackhawks vs Nashville Predators

The Chicago Blackhawks Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

As they head into their game vs. the Predators, the Blackhawks have a 11-23-2 record thus far. While playing at home, their record stands at 7-9-1, and they have 4-14-1 mark on the road. Their current record places them 8th in the Western Central division and 15th in the Western conference. This season, Chicago has managed to win five games by a margin of more than one goal while losing 19 games by multiple goals. Their overall puck line record for the season is 17-19.

Following a 8-1 loss on the road to the Stars, the Blackhawks are eager to bounce back. Offensively, the Blackhawks couldn’t find the net in the first two periods, but they made a comeback with one goal in the third period. During power plays, the team scored one goal. In total, they recorded 24 shots on goal and had 8 giveaways.

As the underdog, Chicago suffered both a straight-up and loss vs. the puck line. With a combined total of 9 goals, the teams exceeded the over/under line of 6.5 goals set for the game.

The Nashville Predators Are Coming Off A Win

Currently, the Predators hold an overall record of 20-16-1 for the season. On the road, Nashville has a 9-7-1 record, while they are 11-9-0 at their home venue. At the moment, they hold the 4th spot in the Western Central division and are ranked 7th in the Western conference. Nashville’s average scoring difference this season sits at .0, which has contributed to their overall puck line record of 20-17. When playing at home, they have a scoring margin of .0, and on the road, it is .0.

The Predators most recently took on the Capitals and secured a win with a score of 3-2. In the first period on offense, the Predators managed to score two times, but that turned out to be the only scoring they could muster for the entire game. Of Nashville’s three goals, one came while in power play. They ended the game with 36 shots on goal and had eight giveaways.

Despite being the underdog, Nashville managed to secure a win against the puck line in the game. The game finished below the over/under line of 6.5 with a combined total of 5 goals.

Chicago Offense Breakdown

The Blackhawks come into the game scoring an average of 2.4 goals per game, putting them 30th in the NHL. Regarding shots targeted at the goal per game, they are 29th in the league. Chicago’s offense comes into the game ranked 27th in power play goals. And in terms of shorthanded goals, they are 21st in the NHL.

The Blackhawks’ over/under record this season is 16-18-2. For the season, they have had 20 games failing to surpass this game’s over/under line of 6.5. Overall, their games are averaging 6.2 goals per game.

Nashville Offense Breakdown

When looking at their offense, the Predators have an average of 3.1 goals per game this season, positioning themselves 14th in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are ranked 13th in the league. The Predators went 9-8 in games where they had more shots than their opponents. However, in games with fewer shots on goal, their record was 10-8.

The Predators come in with an over/under record of 16-16-5. Over the course of the season, they have had 22 games failing to surpass the 6.5 goal over/under line. The average number of goals in their games is at 6.3 per game.

Chicago Team Defense

Defensively, the Blackhawks are currently 5th in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 33 shots per game against Chicago. They also are 21st in shutouts, coming in with 1 shutouts.

Nashville Team Defense

In terms of defense, the Predators head into the game ranked 12th in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 30.4 shots per game against Nashville. So far, they are 20th in shutouts, achieving 1 shutouts.

Blackhawks vs Predators Trends

• Through their last five road contests, the Blackhawks offense has averaged 2 goals per game while allowing an average of 6. Chicago posted an overall record of 0-5 while going 1-4 ATS.
• When looking at their past three matchups at home, Nashville has an puck line record of 3-0 while averaging 3 per game. The team went 2-1 overall in these games.
• Through their last five games as the betting underdog, the Predators have a strong record vs the puck line going 4-1. Their straight up mark in these contests is 2-3.
• In their last three games as the betting favorite, the Blackhawks have a straight up record of 1-2 and an puck line mark of 1-2.

Blackhawks vs Predators Prediction

When it comes to a straight moneyline bet, look no further than the Predators. Nevertheless, given the payout of -272, you could also think about incorporating this bet into a parlay.

For my recommended choice in the puck line, I’m leaning towards the Blackhawks to cover. Even if the Predators secure a straight-up win, this game is expected to be tightly contested, and the Blackhawks should cover the puck line.

When considering the over/under line, which is currently at 6.5 goals, we believe that this game will go over that threshold, and we recommend wagering on the over.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.