Friday December 15: Nashville Predators +151
Here is what I wrote up on the game:
Nashville +150ish**
**Might wanna get on this ASAP because this price has already started to come down and I do think it will be lower than this come faceoff**
On Friday, December 15, we get one of the all-time worst-ever scheduling spots I have ever seen in the multiple decades I have been wagering on sports.
I have had this game "circled" in big red ink, for 2+ months.
On this day the Carolina Hurricanes host the Nashville Predators. I fully expect Nashville to KILL Carolina. Why do I say that?
Here is Carolina's December schedule leading up to the game - all of these games are on the ROAD. The number next to the city is how many air miles it was to get to the next game from the previous stop (So 1340 miles from Raleigh to Winnipeg).
4...........Winnipeg (1340)
6...........Edmonton (740)
7...........Calgary (153)
9...........Vancouver (428)
12.........Ottawa (2213........FYI: LAX to Raleigh is 2238 miles - pretty much the same distance as this flight)
14.........Detroit (440)
After the December 14 game the Canes then make the 950-ish mile trip, taking about 1:45 hours, back to Raleigh where they will HOST the Predators on December 15. Add it all up and the Hurricanes 11-day roadie will be about 6150 miles, although spread out over many days. To put that distance in mind that is not much more than flying nonstop between LAX and Vienna. Austria.
And one quick thing about the Detroit airport: In 2022, in late-June/early-July I spent a few weeks in the area between the Airport and Downtown Detroit. It is around 20 miles from Little Caesars Arena (where the Wings/Pistons play) to Romulus, Michigan - where the airport is. I know the Canes will be making this trip late at night, when traffic should be minimal, but it is still a decent commute. To put this distance in perspective - anyone who has ever flown out of the Denver Airport knows it is seemingly closer to Chicago than it is Downtown Denver. That commute is 24 miles so for anyone who has ever had the HELL of driving to the Denver airport from Downtown - you know what that drive is like. This one is very similar. I just don't see the Canes' players could get home and to bed before 2-3A. At the earliest.
Let's look at the Predators' December schedule leading up to the game:
7..........HOST Tampa Bay
9..........AT Toronto
10........AT Montreal
12........HOST Philly
After the December 12 game the Preds do not play again until this December 15 game at Carolina. As for the Preds their flight is about 450 miles or around an hour.
So we get the HOME team playing B2B after ending a 11-day, 6-game, 6000+ mile roadie and getting home at an ungodly time of the day/morning, against the ROAD team who had 2 full days off and got to Raleigh at a decent time, got a good night's rest, had a morning skate and will come in with fresh legs - something the home team will not. And while the Canes had some time off after their first 4 games - those first 4 games were all against Western Canadian teams - ending at the furthest spot away from Raleigh).
If the Canes get me - they get me. I tip my cap to them and congratulate them for winning a game in one of the most brutal scheduling spots I have ever seen. But this sure looks like a rather easy win for the Predators and probably at a "dog price." If the game is close keep an eye on the Preds in 3P in live betting. If the Preds are down a goal they should be at least +200 and probably closer to +250, or more.
Total on the game is 6. That means Canes TT should be about 3.5, but Under heavier juiced. I expect Saros (Raanta is playing Thursday for Canes so expect Kochetkov to be in net Friday for the Canes) to be in net for the Preds and he has won 5 straight and 9 of his last 10 starts so he should be up to the task and keep Carolina to no more than 3 goals - but again - not gonna lay big wood. If not heavily juiced I will be on Under 3.5 (Adding this: Both Saros and Kochetkov are sitting.......still doesn't change my thoughts on this game).
