Canucks vs. Predators Game 4 odds, preview, prediction for 4/28: Fade this career backup

Canucks vs. Predators Odds

Sunday, April 28, 5 p.m. ET, TBS

Odds via bet365. Get up-to-the-minute NHL odds here.

Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver may have one of the deepest teams in the NHL. Quinn Hughes is as dynamic as they come, averaging more than a point per game this series. J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser each had career-best seasons.

What’s interesting, though, is that Elias Pettersson has been essentially invisible all series.

Apart from its depth, what makes this team so deadly is its strong 5-on-5 game. However, it hasn’t boded well these playoffs, playing to a 49.14 xGF% (expected goals).

Defensively, it’s been a bit of a different story: The Canucks are fourth with a 2.67 xGA/60.

Vancouver’s power play has been strong so far, scoring at a 22% clip. Not only that, but it’s dominated on the penalty kill with a 92% success rate.

The Canucks had the unfortunate displeasure of losing one of the league’s top goalies for the playoffs in Demko due to an injury. Vancouver will look to career backup Casey DeSmith to take on the reins.

DeSmith is fine as a backup, and he's done OK these playoffs with a .911 SV% and a -0.2 GSAx, but he’s as volatile as ever.

Canucks vs. Predators

Betting Pick & Prediction

Had Demko been available, I’d probably be more bullish toward the Canucks.

However, DeSmith has spent his career as a backup for a very good reason. You can count on him for a good game every now and then, but as a consistent starter, you’d have better chances of hitting zero in roulette.

I like the Predators tonight. We haven’t seen much of Josi or O’Reilly, but both produced at a high level on home ice this season. Additionally, as weak as Saros has been, I still have a lot more faith in him than I do his counterpart.

Let’s make this series fun – and go into Game 5 tied at two apiece.

Pick: Nashville Predators (-120 at Caesars Sportsbook)