The Colorado Avalanche (35-13-4) play the second half of a two-game set on the road against the Los Angeles Kings (21-25-6) Saturday. Puck drop is scheduled for a 10 p.m. ET at Staples Center. Below, we analyze the Avalanche-Kings odds and lines, with NHL picks and predictions.
The Avalanche won four of their last five games, including a 3-2 victory in Los Angeles Friday night behind G Philipp Grubauer as the Under (5.5) connected.
The Kings were cooled off Friday to splash cold water on a two-game win streak. They’re 4-3-0 across their past seven outings, and four of their previous six games were decided by 1 goal.
Avalanche at Kings: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:45 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Avalanche -275 (bet $275 to win $100) | Kings +230 (bet $100 to win $230)
- Against the spread/ATS: Avalanche -1.5 (-110) | Kings +1.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: 6 (O: +100 | U: -120)
Avalanche at Kings: Projected starting goalies
Jonas Johansson (3-6-2, 3.10 GAA, .894 SV%, 1 SO) vs. Troy Grosenick (1-0-0, 1.00 GAA, .971 SV%)
Johansson picked up three victories in four starts in April, including a shutout against the Anaheim Ducks April 9. He allowed 2 or fewer goals in three of those four outings, too.
Grosenick made 33 saves in a 5-1 Kings win against the Ducks March 10 in his first NHL appearance since 2014-15. Jonathan Quick has been nursing an upper-body injury, and Cal Petersen lost Friday’s start and won’t go back-to-back, so Grosenick is it.
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Avalanche at Kings: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Avalanche 5, Kings 3
Money line (ML)
The Avalanche (-275) will cost you nearly three times your potential return, and that’s much too risky in a game likely without its best offensive player and a pair of backup goaltenders between the pipes.
AVOID.
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Against the spread (ATS)
The AVALANCHE -1.5 (-110) are the lean here despite the fact they have their backup netminder in the crease.
Of course, the Kings also have their backup in net, and he has just one start since 2014. Needless to say, Colorado is the much better play.
Over/Under (O/U)
OVER 6 (+100) is the lean, as even without MacKinnon for the Avalanche, and Dustin Brown missing for the Kings, the offense should be able to pile up plenty of goals against a pair of backup tendies.
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