Nashville Predators vs Chicago Blackhawks January 16th 2025
Making on a bet on this NHL game featuring the Blackhawks versus the Predators? The puck drops at 8:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN. The over/under for this matchup is currently set at 6 goals and the Predators are the -1.5 favorite to win at home vs. the Blackhawks.
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Chicago vs. Nashville Key Information
- Teams: Blackhawks at Predators
- Where: Bridgestone Arena Nashville
- Date: Thursday, January 16th
- Betting Odds NAS -243 | CHI +202 O/U 6
The Blackhawks Can Win If…
With a 4-2 win over the Ducks, the Blackhawks improved to 14-28-2 this season. Chicago, as underdogs on the puck line, covered the +1.5 goals. The total was set at 6.5 goals, and the combined 6 goals fell just short of that mark.
Four different Blackhawks players found the net in this one. Chicago built a 3-0 lead before the Ducks got on the board, and they held on for the win.
Chicago’s offense fired 29 shots on goal in their 4-2 win over the Ducks, with 12 giveaways. Ryan Donato netted his 7th goal of the season, while Seth Jones added his 2nd. Isaak Phillips opened the scoring, and Teuvo Teravainen followed with his 4th goal.
The Blackhawks scored twice in the 1st period, added a power-play goal in the 2nd, and finished with another in the 3rd. Two of their four goals came on the power play, with Connor Bedard picking up his 9th assist on Donato’s goal.
On the defensive side, Arvid Söderblom had a standout performance with 38 saves and a 95% save percentage. Chicago’s defense also contributed 6 takeaways and 5 hits. However, they will look to tighten things up in the 3rd period, where they gave up two goals, including one with just 4 seconds left.
- Over their last three regular season games, the Blackhawks have gone 0-3 straight up. Across these games, their puck line record was just 1-2, while posting an over-under record of 3-0.
- Through their last ten regular season contests, Chicago has a record of 2-8. Their record vs the puck line sits at 4-6 in these matchups, while posting a 7-1-2 over-under mark.
The Predators Can Win If…
With a 5-2 win over the Avalanche, the Predators improved to 14-22-7 this season. Nashville covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 7 goals surpassed the pre-game line of 6.5.
After falling behind 1-0 in the second period, Nashville responded with five unanswered goals. Five different players contributed to the scoring, including two empty-netters in the third period.
Nashville’s offense found the net five times in their 5-2 victory over the Avalanche, with two of those goals coming on empty nets. Gustav Nyquist netted his 4th goal of the season, while Filip Forsberg added his 7th. Roman Josi also got on the board for the first time this season, scoring on a power play.
Steven Stamkos, who scored his 2nd goal of the year, also picked up his 3rd assist on Josi’s power-play goal. The Predators took 25 shots on goal and recorded 15 giveaways.
Juuse Saros made 29 saves with a 93.5% save percentage in the Predators’ 5-2 win over the Avalanche. Defensively, Nashville recorded 4 takeaways, 23 hits, and 25 blocks. The Predators allowed the first goal at 17:06 of the 2nd period and another at 2:17 of the 3rd, but they didn’t give up any more, securing the victory.
- The Predators have gone 1-2 over their last three regular season games. Their record against the puck line in this stretch is 1-2 to go along with an over-under mark of 2-1.
- Nashville has put together a record of 5-5 in their last ten games (regular season). This includes going 4-6 vs. the puck line along with an over-under mark of 5-5.
The Lean
When it comes to a straight moneyline bet, look no further than the Predators. Nevertheless, given the payout of -243, you could also think about incorporating this bet into a parlay.
If you’re looking for my recommendation on the puck line, I suggest taking the Blackhawks to cover. Even if the Predators manage to win outright, this game is expected to remain competitive, and the Blackhawks should cover the puck line.
If you’re looking at the over/under line set at 6 goals, our prediction is that this game will exceed that mark, and we strongly advise placing a bet on the over.
Blackhawks Aim to Snap Road Skid Against Predators
The Chicago Blackhawks are searching for answers as they head to Nashville to face the Predators on Thursday, hoping to snap a three-game losing streak and end their six-game road skid.
Chicago (11-28-3) owns the NHL’s lowest point total (30) and has lost nine of its last 11 games. Even with star rookie Connor Bedard continuing to produce—he scored his 100th career point on Monday—the Blackhawks are struggling to keep up. They’ve surrendered 14 goals over their past three contests, including a 5-2 loss to the Calgary Flames.
Bedard Trying to Keep Blackhawks Together
The 18-year-old phenom leads Chicago with 39 points (12 goals, 27 assists), but he knows individual numbers mean little with the team stuck in a losing cycle.
“It’s been hard,” Bedard admitted. “It’s been a lot of games to lose. It weighs on you. But we’re all in this as one, and we’ve got a lot of work to do, obviously.”
Bedard had a goal in Chicago’s last meeting with Nashville on Oct. 25, when the Blackhawks blew a 2-0 lead and lost 3-2. That game was part of Nashville’s season-high three-game win streak, but the Predators (21-21-1) have struggled with consistency since then.
Predators Seeking Back-to-Back Wins
Nashville has been streaky all season, going 7-6-1 since an eight-game losing streak in December (0-5-3). The Predators are coming off a 5-3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, a game that featured two goals from Steven Stamkos and marked the franchise’s 1,000th all-time victory.
“There’s definitely a belief that when we do the things we’re capable of doing and we stay connected, we can play with anybody,” Predators coach Andrew Brunette said.
Despite the offensive breakout against Vegas, Nashville still ranks 31st in the NHL in scoring (2.47 goals per game), just ahead of Chicago (2.55 GPG).
Ready for Tonight’s Action? Our NHL hockey picks today are here to guide you.
Key Matchups to Watch
- Steven Stamkos vs. Blackhawks Defense: Stamkos now leads the Predators with 14 goals, tied with Jonathan Marchessault. His two-goal performance against Vegas pushed him to 99 career multi-goal games.
- Filip Forsberg on Fire: Forsberg has scored in three straight games and has seven points in his last five contests. He also found the net against Chicago in October.
- Blackhawks Goaltending Woes: Petr Mrazek (3.25 GAA) has allowed at least four goals in seven of his past eight starts, while Arvid Soderblom has given up 10 goals in his last two games.
- Nashville’s Goalie Decision: Justus Annunen made 19 saves against Vegas but could yield the crease to Juuse Saros, who has allowed 15 goals in his last five starts (1-4-0).
Bottom Line
Both teams are struggling offensively and looking for consistency, but the Predators have the clear advantage at home, especially with Filip Forsberg and Steven Stamkos heating up. If the Blackhawks’ defense—ranked 30th in goals allowed (3.45 per game)—continues to falter, Nashville could capitalize on another strong offensive outing.
With Chicago winless in six straight road games, this is a prime opportunity for the Predators to build some momentum and stay in the Western Conference playoff chase.