Vancouver Canucks at Nashville Predators Game 3 Odds and Predictions – Free NHL Picks 5-3-11

Free NHL Playoffs Picks and Odds – Game 3 Vancouver Canucks at Nashville Predators Favorite, Moneyline, Total and Predictions 5/3/11: With the series now shifted into the music city, the Vancouver Canucks must be wary of letting up on their aggressive approach. They let game two slip away from them in the final minutes of the third period, but more importantly they let their momentum shift to the Predators bench. Roberto Lulongo was dummied by an errant deflection late in the third period that sent both clubs into the overtime period. Nashville capitalized mid way thorough the extra frame on a poor pass and the series is now all squared up. The Sedin twins have been receiving a lot of heat though the various media consortiums in the B.C. area for not producing as of yet. Being the face of the franchise are by no means easy shoes to fill and the Sedins’ are evidently being subdued by the pressure that is mounted on them. They seem extremely tight in their game and it is almost as if they are trying too hard. Their passes are off, they are over skating the puck, and they are being extremely too fancy with the puck on the special teams. For the Canucks to be successful the Sedins need to play exactly as they did in the regular season. They do not need to carry the entire team, but rather they need to lead by example and produce by getting their teammates involved. Ryan Kesler, who has no goals to show for thus far, is by far the most lively Canuck on the ice on a nightly basis. He is leading the team in hits and shots, a strong indication that he is determined to get this club to Lord Stanley’s Cup.

The Nashville Predators must follow the blue print of their game two victory if they have any aspirations of making a series with the Canucks. The Predators were quite fortunate to push the tilt into overtime and they reaped the benefits of an errant pass, but they are where they are and they now are three wins away from a second round series victory. They shut down the Canucks snipers by tight fore checking and by keeping the puck in the Vancouver end. It was a lot of dump and chase hockey, but by keeping the puck in the Canucks zone they were immobilizing the Vancouver snipers. Pekke Renne is quite possibly on his way to a Conn Smythe as he is completely taking this Predators club on his back. After a slow start, the Preds goaltender has used precision technique and excellent form to keep teams from pursuing rebounds. He has taken the burden off of the Predators defensemen to stay at home on the back end and now we are witnessing them often times pinching to set up scoring opportunities.

The complimentary selection tonight will be with the Nashville Predators on home ice. The Predators proved in game two that they have the intangibles and mind set to last three periods with the Canucks. They shut them down by keeping the puck of their sticks and by aggressively pursuing the puck. Pekke Renne is a determined net minder and his previous four games are an indication that he might be destined for a Cup appearance. The Canucks are a club that feeds on momentum and we often seen this past season that they can ride the lows of momentum droughts for awhile. I expect the Predators to come out firing on all cylinders in front of their rejuvenated home crowd and give the Canucks all they can handle. Let’s not forget, the Canucks have not been playing great hockey as of late and aside from their game 7 victory over the Blackhawks and their opening win over the Preds they have been quite abysmal. Vancouver is 2-4 SU in its last 6 game and is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Nashville. Nashville is 14-6 SU in its last 20 games and is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home. We will consider the Predators taking control of the series with a triumphant win on home ice tonight in the music city. Cheers!

Free Pick: Nashville Predators +115(Moneyline)
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