A pair of teams that have put themselves squarely in the playoff picture, the Minnesota Wild and the Colorado Avalanche collide at the Pepsi Center in a Central Division tilt. The game will get started at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 6 and it is being shown live on Altitude Sports & Entertainment.
Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche Odds
With a -135 moneyline, Minnesota enters the matchup as the favorite. The line for Colorado sits at +115, and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals (-115 for the over, -105 for the under).
Minnesota is 22-19 straight up (SU) and has netted moneyline bettors 0.4 units this year. 22 of its contests have gone over the total, while 17 have gone under and just two have pushed. As the road team in 2017-18, the Wild are 8-13 SU.
Minnesota has converted on 19.4 percent of its power play chances this year, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, it has the fourth-best penalty kill in the league, and it has successfully killed off 84.2 percent of all penalties.
Minnesota, as a collective unit, has been penalized 4.3 times per game during the 2017-18 season, and 5.2 per game over its last five road outings. The team’s had to stave off opponent power plays 11.0 minutes per game over their last five road outings.
Averaging 28.3 saves per game with a .920 save percentage, Devan Dubnyk (16-10-2) has been the primary option in goal for Minnesota this season. If head coach Bruce Boudreau decides to rest him, however, Minnesota may turn to Alex Stalock (7-10-1 record, .916 save percentage, 2.67 goals against average).
Eric Staal and Mikael Granlund will both spearhead the attack for the visiting Wild. Staal has 35 points via 17 goals and 18 assists, and has recorded multiple points in nine different games. Granlund has 11 goals and 19 assists to his credit (and has notched a point in 18 games).
Colorado is 21-19 straight up (SU) and has netted 5.5 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 40 regular season outings, 23 of its games have gone over the total, while 16 have gone under and just one has pushed. It’s 14-8 SU at home this season.
Colorado has converted on 19.9 percent of its power play chances this season, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked fifth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 84.0 percent of all penalties.
Colorado players have been penalized 4.3 times per game in total this season, and 3.4 per game over their last five at home. The team’s had to defend opponent power plays just 6.8 minutes per game over their last five outings.
Semyon Varlamov (28.5 saves per game) has been the primary option in goal for Colorado. Varlamov has 14 wins, 12 losses, and two overtime losses to his name and has maintained a .912 save percentage and 2.87 goals against average this year.
Nathan MacKinnon (17 goals, 32 assists) will lead the offensive counter for the Avalanche.
Minnesota Wild at Colorado Avalanche Free Picks
Predictions: SU Winner – Avalanche, O/U – Over
Notes
Betting Notes
Minnesota is 2-1 in games decided by a shootout this season while Colorado is 1-1 in shootouts.
The total has gone under in three of Colorado’s last five outings.
Colorado has allowed 3.0 goals per game overall this year, but is allowing just 1.5 per match up over its four-game winning streak.
Over Colorado’s last ten outings, five of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 4-1 in those games).
