Carolina Hurricanes vs Nashville Predators prediction: Kochetkov's perfect start runs into Nashville's lethal special teams

Kochetkov hasn't lost yet

Pyotr Kochetkov has opened the season on a franchise-record 10-game winning streak, and he arrives in Nashville as the probable starter. His .929 save percentage and 1.49 goals-against average explain why Carolina appears to have moved away from its usual alternating tandem. He posted his second shutout in Sunday's 7-0 rout of Winnipeg.

The drop-off behind him is steep. Brandon Bussi sits at .865 through six games, so Carolina has every reason to ride the hot hand.

Juuse Saros is expected to start for Nashville after a two-day break following Halloween. His .902 mark is solid rather than special, and he is likely to face far more rubber than Kochetkov does. Kochetkov's numbers are the clearest edge on the ice.

Carolina tilts the ice

The Hurricanes live in the offensive zone. They lead the league in shot share, the portion of all shots in their games that they take, at 59.7%. Nashville ranks 26th in the same stat.

That gap shows up at both ends. Carolina fires 33.1 shots per game, most in the NHL, and Nashville allows 28.9 per game, 24th of 32. The Predators' offense ranks 23rd in goals per game, and it has to manufacture chances against a team that rarely gives them up.

The scoring is spread out. Sebastian Aho has 21 points in 16 games, and Logan Stankoven leads the team with 10 goals. For Nashville, Filip Forsberg paces the club with 17 points, while Steven Stamkos has eight goals on a 24.2% shooting rate that will be hard to sustain.

Nashville's special-teams lifeline

Nashville's best counter is the man advantage. Its power play converts 31.9% of its chances, 4th in the league, and its penalty kill stops 88.9% of opponents' power plays, also 4th. Those units have kept a 5-4-5 team close in game after game.

Carolina gives them openings. The Hurricanes draw 3.62 power plays per game, 3rd in the league, but they also go shorthanded 3.38 times a night, which ranks 21st. Nashville rarely returns the favor: its 7.3 penalty minutes per game rank 3rd-fewest. If this game becomes a parade to the box, the Predators' odds improve.

Who's in, who's out

Taylor Hall's status is unsettled. The league injury report, last updated Monday, lists him as day-to-day with an upper-body injury and an expected return of Tuesday, but that date has not been confirmed as a playing date. Rod Brind'Amour said last Thursday that Hall would miss a few more games.

Captain Jordan Staal remains on injured reserve with a torn calf muscle, with a return projected for early December. Defenseman Alexander Nikishin has yet to make his season debut for a reason not related to injury. Mark Jankowski returned against Columbus and contributed right away.

Nashville has a new face. Shane Wright is expected to debut after arriving from Seattle in a one-for-one trade for Matthew Wood, and projected lines put him between Forsberg and Hoglander.

What the market says

Carolina is -192 on the moneyline, with Nashville at +163. The total sits at 6.5 after first appearing at 6.25.

The puck line history favors the home side. Nashville is 9-5 against the puck line this season, while Carolina is just 8-8 despite its record, covering -1.5 in only two of its last five games. The Hurricanes have gone under in nine of 16 games, and the Predators have gone over in eight of 14.

Last season Carolina swept both December meetings, winning 6-3 at home and 4-1 in Nashville.