Carolina Hurricanes (36-12-8, first in the Central Division during the regular season) vs. Nashville Predators (31-23-2, fourth in the Central Division during the regular season)
Nashville, Tennessee; Thursday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Predators +131, Hurricanes -158; over/under is 5
NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Hurricanes lead series 3-2
BOTTOM LINE: The Carolina Hurricanes look to clinch the first round of the NHL Playoffs over the Nashville Predators in game six. The teams meet Thursday for the 14th time this season. The Hurricanes won the previous meeting 3-2 in overtime. Martin Necas scored a team-high two goals for the Hurricanes in the victory.
The Predators are 31-23-2 against the rest of their division. Nashville averages 9.2 penalty minutes per game, the eighth-most in the NHL. Mathieu Olivier leads the team serving 70 total minutes.
The Hurricanes are 36-12-8 against the rest of their division. Carolina is eighth in the NHL recording 8.6 points per game, averaging 3.1 goals and 5.5 assists.
TOP PERFORMERS: Calle Jarnkrok leads the Predators with 13 goals, adding 15 assists and totaling 28 points. Ryan Johansen has four goals and three assists over the last 10 games for Nashville.
Sebastian Aho leads the Hurricanes with 57 points, scoring 24 goals and collecting 33 assists. Necas has five goals and three assists over the last 10 games for Carolina.
LAST 10 GAMES: Predators: 6-3-1, averaging 2.8 goals , 4.5 assists, 4.1 penalties and 9.3 penalty minutes while giving up 2.3 goals per game with a .936 save percentage.
Hurricanes: 5-2-3, averaging 3.1 goals , 4.3 assists, 4.7 penalties and 10.5 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game with a .912 save percentage.
INJURIES: Predators: Viktor Arvidsson: day to day (upper body).
Hurricanes: Jaccob Slavin: day to day (lower body).
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