The Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche meet for Game 1 of their Western Conference Finals playoff series Tuesday at Ball Arena in Denver. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET (TNT). Below, we look at the Oilers vs. Avalanche Game 1 odds and lines, and make our expert NHL picks, predictions and bets.
The Oilers suffered a Game 1 loss in Calgary against the provincial rival Flames May 18. After that setback, Edmonton rattled off four consecutive wins to reach the conference finals for the first time since 2006.
The Avalanche posted three road victories in the second round to oust the St. Louis Blues in six games. Colorado is back in the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2002 when it was ousted by the Detroit Red Wings.
Oilers at Avalanche odds and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:15 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Oilers +145 (bet $100 to win $145) | Avalanche -180 (bet $180 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Oilers +1.5 (-150) | Avalanche -1.5 (+120)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -145 | U: +115)
Oilers at Avalanche projected goalies
Mike Smith (8-3-0, 2.70 GAA, .927 SV%, 2 SO – postseason) vs. Darcy Kuemper (6-2-0, 2.44 GAA, .904 SV% – postseason)
Smith has picked up four consecutive victories, although he has allowed three or more goals in three of those outings. That’s because the Edmonton offense averaged 5.0 goals per game in the five-game series vs. Calgary.
Kuemper stopped 18 of 20 shots in the series-clinching road victory against the Blues in Game 6. He has allowed three or fewer goals in eight of the past nine postseason starts.
[tipico]
Oilers at Avalanche picks and predictions
Prediction
Avalanche 4, Oilers 3
Money line
The AVALANCHE (-180) are rather heavy favorites in Game 1 despite the fact the Oilers (+145) are running hot. However, the home team has picked up five victories in the past six meetings between these teams, with the favorite cashing in each of the previous six outings.
Colorado enters this game with 55 wins in the past 68 outings at home, while going 30-12 in the past 42 playoff contests as a favorite. Until Edmonton can show it can win in Denver, back the Avs.
Against the spread
The price for the OILERS +1.5 (-150) isn’t terribly out of line if you feel Edmonton will carry over the momentum from the Calgary series, keeping it close in the opening game.
The Avalanche -1.5 (+120) are 1-1 against the puck line in series openers during the playoffs, but 1-4 against the puck line at home during the postseason.
Over/Under
The UNDER 6.5 (+115) is worth a roll of the dice at plus-money as these teams feel each other out. I believe we’ll get a higher-scoring series between these two teams, but Game 1 will get off to a bit of a slower start as the teams get their sea legs.
Watch: ESPN+ has become a must-have for hockey fans. Get access to more than 1,000 out-of-market NHL games, 75 weekly national games, and more all season. Sign up for ESPN+ now!
Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, Sportsbook Wire’s official sportsbook partner in CO, NJ and soon IA. Bet now!
If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW, or try out our USA TODAY Parlay Calculator. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1622]