The Colorado Avalanche will look to continue their climb up the Western Conference standings when they play host to the lowly Chicago Blackhawks.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Chicago Blackhawks (+300) vs. Colorado Avalanche (-385) Total: 6.5 (O+106, U-130)A lot is separating the Chicago Blackhawks and Colorado Avalanche. The Avs are the defending Stanley Cup Champs, while the Blackhawks are near the basement of the NHL standings. There’s been a lot of positivity surrounding the Avs lately, who appear destined to enter the postseason on a high note. They’re set to enter this contest as big home favorites on the moneyline at -385, while the Blackhawks are priced at +300. This will be the third and final matchup between these clubs, which has already seen the Avs win the first game 5-2, followed by a 3-2 Hawks win.
Colorado has been playing much better hockey and enters this contest on a five-game win streak. The Avs have posted a 6-3-1 record over their past ten games, while the Blackhawks are sitting at 3-6-1 over that same sample size.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup tonight, the Blackhawks are expected to start Alex Stalock, while the Avalanche should be countering with Alexandar Georgiev. The Blackhawks’ veteran netminder has posted a 9-9-1 record, paired with a .919 save percentage, while Georgiev is sitting at 31-14-5, along with a .918 save percentage. Stalock has posted nice numbers in a limited sample size, but Georgiev is the better of the two goalies in this contest.
Colorado is a massive favorite in this matchup, and rightfully so. They enter this contest playing great hockey, which is hard to ignore against a struggling Chicago Blackhawks squad. There’s no real value in the Avs moneyline price here, but their puck line odds at -150 are at least worth considering.
Best Bet: Avalanche Puck Line -1.5 (-150)
The two earlier matchups have tallied seven and five goals, respectively. Tonight’s total is currently set at 6.5, with the over priced at +106, while the under is juiced up to -130. The Blackhawks are near the basement in both goals scored and allowed per game, while the Avs sit inside the top ten in goals allowed per game. Over the Blackhawks’ past five games, they’ve seen seven or more goals scored twice, while the Avs have also seen that transpire twice. With that in mind, there’s merit in looking towards the under 6.5 in this contest at -130.
Best Bet: Under 6.5 (-130)
With the Avalanche finally getting healthier up front, some players definitely warrant targeting in the goal-scoring department tonight. Nathan MacKinnon has been lighting up the scoresheet of late and tallied eleven points over the past five games to lead the club. In addition, he’s also recorded 88 points in 57 games. The numbers MacKinnon has posted speak volumes, and he’s in a great position to add to those totals tonight. The price tag isn’t super appetizing, but you should be confident backing MacKinnon to find the twine at -120.
Best Prop: Nathan MacKinnon to Record Over 0.5 Goals (-120)
