NHL Picks: What's the Game 7 play for the Ducks and Preds?

It’s Déjà vu all over again.  

Insert Monday's Game 7 scenario into Wednesday's narrative and we're looking at a similar situation.  

St. Louis beating Corey Crawford only a minute into the game didn't help our cause opening the scoring early before ultimately settling into a more conservative game late.  

The cagey nature of how the series has played out between the Predators and Ducks through the first six games should continue tonight, making our bet easy to make ... now cashing that ticket remains the bigger chore.

Anaheim-Nashville Under 5 (-115); Under 1.5 First Period (-150)

This series has had more ebbs and flows than any of us expected.  

Nashville went out to California winning the first two games before dropping the next three.

They did hold serve at home to force this pivotal Game 7 showdown. This will be the first Game 7 in Predators franchise history, while Anaheim is looking for some Game 7 karma themselves, having dropped their last four.

Add to that the fact that they've lost three straight series when owning a commanding 3-2 advantage.

Let's just say something has to give tonight at the Honda Center.

Betting the under blind in this series has provided modest returns after a 2-1-3 mark through six games.  

Games have generally started slow before play opens up during the second period after the first goal. Like we referenced in the Blues-Hawks series finale, the refs have a knack for swallowing their whistles this time of year, unless they absolutely have to call penalties.  

We've only seen four goals on special teams in this series, but a boatload of power play opportunities both ways.  Let's hope for the sake of our Under that the majority of this contest is played at even strength, limiting scoring chances both ways. 

I debated coming at you with a long statistical diatribe to validate our play here, but I thought better of it.

Game 7 means nerves and doing everything possible to avoid the costly mistake. Two goals should be enough to advance to the Western Conference semifinals, and while I haven't a clue who that team is going to be, going Under the total is our chosen path of action.

Strength: Under 5 Risking $172.50 to win $150

Strength: First period Under 1.5 Risking $150 to win $100

-------------

Playoffs YTD: 8-6-1, +$70

Monday: 0-1-1, -$105