Squaring off for the fifth and final time this season, the St. Louis Blues and the Colorado Avalanche collide at the Pepsi Center for a divisional tilt. The action will get started at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 7, and it’s being shown live on Altitude Sports & Entertainment.
St. Louis Blues vs. Colorado Avalanche Odds
Colorado (-125) is currently favored over St. Louis (+105) and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at 6 goals. The line for betting that total stands at -110 money on the over and -110 on the under.
St. Louis is 44-37 straight up (SU) and has lost 3.6 units for moneyline bettors thus far. 46 of its games have gone under the total, while 33 have gone over and just one has pushed. This 2017-18 Blues team is 20-20 SU on the road.
St. Louis has converted on just 15.2 percent of its power play chances this year, a mark that places them in the bottom- overall among NHL teams. Its penalty kill is ranked 17th overall, and it has successfully killed off 79.7 percent of all penalties.
For the team as a whole, the Blue Notes have been penalized just 3.3 times per game during the 2017-18 season, and 2.0 per game over its last five road outings. The team’s been forced to kill penalties just 4.9 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Averaging 24.6 saves per game with a .906 save percentage, Jake Allen (27-31-3) has been the best option in goal for St. Louis this season. If it decides to give him a rest, however, head coach Mike Yeo could go with Carter Hutton (18-14-3 record, .931 save percentage, 2.09 goals against average).
The visiting Blues have relied heavily on Brayden Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko this season. Schenn (68 points) has tallied 27 goals and 41 assists, and has recorded multiple points in 15 different games. Tarasenko has 33 goals and 33 assists to his name (and has notched at least one point in 44 games).
Colorado is 42-39 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 8.3 units this season. 41 of its matches have gone over the total, while 33 have gone under and just seven have pushed. This year, the team’s 27-13 SU as the home team.
The Avalanche have converted on 21.9 percent of their power play chances this season, a figure that’s good enough for ninth-best in the league. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked fourth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 83.5 percent of all penalties.
Avalanche skaters have been called for penalties 3.9 times per game in total this season, and 1.8 per game over their last five at home. The team’s had to kill penalties just 5.5 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Semyon Varlamov (28.8 saves per game) has been the top netminder in goal for the Avalanche. Varlamov has 26 wins, 25 losses, and six overtime losses and has recorded a pedestrian 2.68 goals against average and a .920 save percentage this season.
Nathan MacKinnon (38 goals, 57 assists) will lead the offensive counter for the Avs.
St. Louis Blues at Colorado Avalanche Free Picks
Free NHL Tip: SU Winner – Avalanche, O/U – Over
Notes
Betting Notes
St. Louis is 3-0 in games decided by a shootout this season while Colorado is 2-1 in shootouts.
The under has hit in three of Colorado’s last five games.
Colorado has averaged 3.1 goals per game overall this season, but is averaging 2.0 goals per contest over its three-game losing streak.
St. Louis skaters have accounted for the ninth-most hits in the league (23.0 per game).
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