Two teams squaring off for the first time this year, the Colorado Avalanche and the Arizona Coyotes collide at Gila River Arena in a Western Conference tilt. The puck drops at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, December 23, and you can catch it live on Altitude 2.
Colorado Avalanche at Arizona Coyotes Odds
Colorado is 16-18 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 1.7 units this season. 20 of its games have gone over the total, while 13 have gone under and just one has pushed. As an away team in 2017-18, the Avs are 6-11 SU.
Colorado has converted on 18.0 percent of its power play chances this year, a figure that’s right around league average. Additionally, its penalty kill is ranked 13th overall, and the team’s successfully killed off 82.1 percent of all penalties.
For the team as a whole, the Avs have been penalized 4.2 times per game overall this season, and 2.8 per game over its past five. The team’s had to kill penalties just 8.1 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
With a .908 save percentage and 28.8 saves per game, Semyon Varlamov (11-11-2) has been the top option in goal for Colorado this year. If Colorado decides to rest him, however, head coach Jared Bednar may turn to Jonathan Bernier (5-8-1), who has a .893 save percentage and 3.29 goals against average this year.
Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen will both lead the offensive attack for the visiting Avalanche. MacKinnon (40 points) has tallied 15 goals and 25 assists, and has recorded two or more points 12 times. Rantanen has 10 goals and 20 assists to his creditand has registered a point in 20 games.
Arizona is 8-29 straight up (SU) and has lost 20.2 units for moneyline bettors thus far. 20 of its contests have gone under the total, while 15 have gone over and just one has pushed. It’s 4-12 SU at home this season.
The Coyotes have converted on just 15.8 percent of their power play chances this year, a figure that places them in the bottom 5 overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 13th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 82.3 percent of all opponent power plays.
Coyotes players have been penalized only 3.2 times per game in total this season, and 3.8 per game over their last five at home. The team has had to stave off opponent power plays just 6.4 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Antti Raanta (25.8 saves per game) has been the primary netminder in goal for the Coyotes. Raanta has four wins, 13 losses, and two OT losses to his name and has maintained a .916 save percentage and 2.82 goals against average this season.
The Coyotes will be led on offense by Clayton Keller (13 goals, 15 assists).
Colorado Avalanche at Arizona Coyotes Betting Predictions
Predictions: SU Winner – Coyotes, O/U – Over
Notes
Betting Notes
A majority (68.8 percent) of Colorado’s wins have come by two or more goals, and the team is 11-10 overall in such games. 2 of Arizona’s wins (25.0 percent) have been decided by two or more goals.
The Coyotes are 4-15 when the team serves fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 6-22 in games where they serve fewer than 10 total penalty minutes.
Arizona is 1-1 in games decided by a shootout this season while Colorado is 1-1 in shootouts.
The total has gone under in four of Arizona’s last five outings.
Arizona has averaged 6.0 giveaways over its last five home games, an improvement from its season average of 8.2 giveaways per game (the 8th-fewest in the NHL).
Colorado is ranked fourth this season with just 6.5 giveaways per game. That figure has trended lower, however, as the team’s averaged 5.0 giveaways over its last 10 games and 4.8 giveaways over its last five.
The Coyotes this season have tallied the fourth-most hits in the NHL (24.1 per game), but the club has averaged 28.0 over their past five home games.
