Decent slate of NHL action for Monday night, and we’ll look to one of the traditional strongholds of hockey action..uh…Nashville, Tennessee.

CALGARY FLAMES VS. NASHVILLE PREDATORS

Sort of ironic that the Calgary Flames started the NHL’s ’southern strategy’ back in 1972 when they joined the league as the Atlanta Flames.  Now they’re in Calgary, Alberta Canada and the Thrashers play in Atlanta.  Both teams have been in very solid form of late, and both play sound defensive hockey and have top notch goaltending.  The Predators are ranked #7 in NHL scoring defense with a 2.52 goals against average.  They’ve been getting excellent goaltending from their tandem of Pekka Rinne (2.37 GAA) and backup Dan Ellis (2.72 GAA).  The Flames are right behind Nashville at #8 in NHL team scoring defense with a 2.56 goals against average.  There’s no question about Calgary’s goaltending, as they live and die with Mikka Kiprusoff.  Kiprusoff has a tendency to go on bad streaks, but at the moment is in stellar form with a 14-5 record and a 2.38 goals against average.

As noted above, both teams have been in very solid form of late.  Calgary has won three straight and 9 of their last 13 games.  Salient to this handicap, they’ve got one of the best road records in the league with only one loss in regulation for a 9-1-3 mark.  Nashville has won 9 of their last 12 games but that’s only good enough for second place in the NHL Central behind the Chicago Blackhawks.  The Preds are a solid 9-4-0 at home.

In what is a fairly even matchup, we’ll go with Calgary.  The Flames are a small underdog here (+105 at Bookmaker) and we just can’t ignore that excellent road performance.  Calgary has also gotten the best of Nashville in head to head play of late, winning 6 of the last 8 meetings overall and 3 of the last 4 in Nashville.  Ultimately, its a case where we’re sold on the Flames being a legit contender that has the talent to go deep in the Stanley Cup playoffs.  We’re not so sure about Nashville.  Take the Flames in this ‘hockey night in Tennessee’ matchup.

PLAY CALGARY +105 OVER NASHVILLE

Related posts:

1. NHL Hockey Free Picks for 12/19/09–Into the Fire
2. NHL Free Play for 12/3/09: Fire in the Desert
3. NHL Free Play for 12/10/09: Southern Fried Hockey and a review
4. NHL Hockey Betting Free Picks: The Duck Stops Here
5. NHL Hockey Betting Free Picks For Monday: Flame or Fizzle?