Nashville Predators vs Columbus Blue Jackets Prediction, 5/3/2021 NHL Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Nashville Predators vs Columbus Blue Jackets

Date: Monday, May 3, 2021

Location: Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH

TV: Bally Sports Ohio

Elvis Merzlikins and the Columbus Blue Jackets (16-25-10) host the Nashville Predators (27-22-2) at Nationwide Arena on Monday.

The Predators will be looking to get a win in their next outing after their 7-4 defeat to the Panthers their last time out. Their starts in the offensive zone were at 35.2% and their PDO was 107.1 in this one. They accumulated 24 face-off wins at even strength and were beaten on 29 opportunities to win the face-off. Their Fenwick was 27 and the Fenwick against was 56, giving them a Fenwick rate of 32.5%. The Corsi for the Predators was 31 and the Corsi against was 68 meaning they had a Corsi percentage of 31.3%. Nashville tallied 4 penalty mins for this matchup. They also had 2 attempts on the power play but weren't able to net one. The Predators had a good offensive performance in the loss. In the matchup, they were able to notch a goal on 4 out of the 30 shots they looked to score on.

Nashville Predators opponents have amassed 160 power play opportunities (5th in pro hockey) and have a total of 40 goals in those chances. The Predators have had 1,614 shots attempted against them and are the owners of a save percentage of .910. Nashville has attempted 1,518 shots and is the owner of a shot percentage of 9.0%. While playing at even strength, the Predators have conceded 106 goals while earning 110 themselves. Nashville has accumulated 145 power play opportunities and they have notched 26 goals out of those attempts, giving them a rate of 17.93%. For the current campaign, they have tallied 56 points and their points percentage is sitting at .549. With respect to their scoring, the Nashville Predators have tallied 136 goals (20th in the NHL) over the course of the season and have conceded 146.

The player protecting the goal in this game is Juuse Saros. Saros has participated in 151 contests over the course of his pro hockey career. He has amassed a mark of 73-46-17 and he started in 135 games. The opposition has scored 354 goals against Saros in his pro hockey career and his goals against rate is 2.52. Saros has had 4,424 shots taken against him and has recorded 4,070 saves. His save percentage currently is at .920 during his 8,435 mins between the pipes. For his professional hockey career, Saros has 82 quality starts and his percentage for quality starts is .607.

Their last time out, Columbus played the Red Wings in an outing where the Blue Jackets took home the victory by a mark of 1-0. Columbus went home with a 55.2% Corsi rate. These Corsi statistics are telling of the type of game that Columbus had and you could say that they have had better days on the ice. They had a Fenwick percentage of 51.1% by way of having a Fenwick of 48 and the Red Wings having a 46 Fenwick at even strength. They had a PDO of 100 and they'll go home having earned an oZS percentage of 45.8%. The Blue Jackets tallied 1 goal out of the 33 shots on goal they took. They had 2 power play opportunities in this outing but weren't able to score a goal.

Columbus has taken 1,474 shots (18th in professional hockey) and has accumulated a shooting percentage of 8.07%, while allowing the other team 1,639 shots. They have earned a penalty kill percentage of 79.84% on their oppositions 124 power play chances, and their save percentage currently comes in at 89.8%. They have a tally of 109 power play chances and they have a power play rate of 14.68%. The Blue Jackets have accumulated 103 goals at even strength and 16 goals (29th in hockey) while on the power play. They have allowed 167 goals to be scored by way of 142 goals at even strength and 25 goals while they were shorthanded. Over the course of the season, the Columbus Blue Jackets have tallied 119 goals, 42 points, and a points percentage of .412.

Across the ice you will find Elvis Merzlikins protecting the goal. His opposition is averaging 2.53 goals per game and he has given up 132 goals altogether. Merzlikins' quality start percentage is 56.9% and he has made 29 quality starting assignments in his NHL career. He has made the start in 51 games and has played 3,124 mins. Merzlikins has amassed a career mark of 20-21-11 and has played in 58 games. He has a tally of 1,509 saves out of 1,641 shots taken against him, which gives him a save percentage of .920.

Who will win tonight's hockey game against the spread?

Tony's Pick: Take Nashville

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