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Predators vs Mammoth Picks and Predictions – Monday December 29, 2025
Nashville heads to the Delta Center for a Monday night matchup with Utah at 9:00 PM on ESPN+. The Predators sit at 16-17-4 and are still searching for clean two-way consistency, while the Mammoth are 18-18-3 and hovering around the middle of the Western pack.
The market is giving Utah a real home edge at -161, with Nashville coming back at +135. With a 5.5 total shaded to the over, the book is expecting chances, but this game has a very real path to a 3-2 type finish if the goaltending and special teams stay in line.
Nashville Predators vs Utah Mammoth Odds
Utah is favored at home, and the price tells you the book expects the Mammoth to drive more of the play. Keep tracking updated NHL odds leading into puck drop, because goalie confirmation can swing both the moneyline and a 5.5 total quickly.
| Team | Moneyline | Puck Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville Predators | +135 | +1.5 (-192) | 5.5 |
| Utah Mammoth | -161 | -1.5 (+158) | 5.5 |
Nashville Predators Betting Form
Nashville is coming off a 3-2 loss to St. Louis, but the shot volume was there, and that is usually the starting point for a road underdog worth considering. When the Predators are generating 30-plus shots and winning enough faceoffs to control possession, they can keep games tight even when finishing is not sharp.
Special teams and the dot are the two biggest betting angles for Nashville. Their power play has been productive all season, and their faceoff rate helps them start with the puck on key shifts. If they win the special teams battle, they can steal this game even without dominating 5v5.
The biggest hinge is availability. Jonathan Marchessault sitting or playing at less than full speed changes their top-six punch and how dangerous they are with the extra attacker. Check the Nashville Predators injury report before you bet, and review Nashville Predators stats and results for how their offense holds up in road games when the pace increases.
Utah Mammoth Betting Form
Utah just grabbed a 4-3 win over Winnipeg, and that game fit their current identity: push pace, generate shots, and trust their skill to create one more good look than the opponent late. The Mammoth are top-10 in shot volume, and that matters here because Nashville can be forced into long defensive sequences if they cannot exit cleanly.
Utah’s offense is built to attack in layers, and at home they tend to play a more direct game that gets pucks to the net and forces scrambles. That is a good recipe against a Nashville team that can give up second looks when shifts extend. Utah also has enough power-play ability to punish undisciplined minutes, which is important against a Predators roster that often plays on the edge physically.
The injury situation is the deciding factor. Logan Cooley is out, and Karel Vejmelka is questionable. If Utah is in a compromised goalie spot, it changes how aggressively they can play and how you should approach the total. Check the Utah Mammoth injury report and use Utah Mammoth schedule and stats to see how their home results look when they are asked to win as a mid-range favorite.
Nashville Predators vs Utah Mammoth Matchup Breakdown
This game is about who controls the neutral zone. Utah wants speed through the middle and quick counters off broken plays. Nashville wants more structured entries and to keep the puck out of track-meet territory, especially on the road.
At 5v5, the Mammoth shot volume is the pressure point. If Utah is consistently getting pucks on net, Nashville’s defense will spend time collapsing and clearing rebounds, which drives fatigue and penalties. The Predators can counter by winning faceoffs, slowing the game after whistles, and forcing Utah to attack through set defense rather than transition.
Special teams are a swing lane for both sides. Nashville’s power play can keep them in this game even if they are second best at 5v5, but Utah’s own man-advantage can tilt the ice if the Predators take stick penalties in the offensive zone. If you want a framework for how to weight power play efficiency versus 5v5 shot quality in games like this, the NHL betting guide is a useful checklist.
Goalie status is the last key and it is not something to assume. Juuse Saros is the likely driver of Nashville’s ability to hang around, while Utah’s side is directly tied to whether Vejmelka is confirmed. If the Mammoth go to a backup, it increases volatility and makes live betting a better approach than locking a pregame position.
Nashville Predators vs Utah Mammoth Predictions and Best Bets
Utah deserves to be favored, but the price is not cheap for a team sitting around .500 and dealing with meaningful injury questions at center and in net. If the Mammoth are at full strength in goal, they are the more likely winner because they should generate more volume and force Nashville to defend.
From a betting perspective, Nashville’s best path is simple: keep it even at 5v5, lean on faceoffs for possession, and let special teams create the high-leverage goal. That is why the puck line protection is priced so heavily, because books know Nashville’s profile is built for one-goal games.
The total is where the value shows up if the crease is stable. A 5.5 shaded to the over assumes a cleaner scoring environment than Nashville usually wants, and Utah’s recent under stretch supports a tighter script. If Vejmelka is confirmed and Saros starts, I like the game landing 3-2 either way more than it turning into a 4-3 exchange.
Best Bet: Under 5.5 (+100)
NHL Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats
If you are betting the full slate, compare your position with the market and other bettors on the NHL picks page and see whether the action is flowing toward the side or the total as puck drop approaches.
For bettors who prefer to follow proven long-term performance, use the best handicappers hub and then filter quickly through the handicappers leaderboard to spot who is actually delivering right now.
If you want premium cards instead of single-game leans, you can buy picks and also scan more matchups in the NHL previews hub. If you are thinking beyond tonight and want a bigger-picture betting approach, the Stanley Cup betting guide helps frame when to shop positions and when to wait for a better entry point.
