The Chicago Blackhawks and Colorado Avalanche open their regular seasons Tuesday at Ball Arena in Denver. Puck drop is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Blackhawks vs. Avalanche, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
The Original 6 Blackhawks are a proud organization, but they’re going through a rebuild.
The team still has some star power with RW Patrick Kane, C Jonathan Toews, etc., but it dealt young cornerstones C Kirby Dach and RW Alex DeBrincat this past offseason, and Chicago is expected to be one of the worst teams in the NHL in 2022-23.
The Avalanche will raise their Stanley Cup banner in front of the home crowd Wednesday. The champs will have a new backstop, replacing G Darcy Kuemper with G Alexandar Georgiev.
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Blackhawks at Avalanche odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:05 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Blackhawks +320 (bet $100 to win $320) | Avalanche -420 (bet $420 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Blackhawks +2.5 (-130) | Avalanche -2.5 (+105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -120 | U: -105)
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Blackhawks at Avalanche projected goalies
Petr Mrazek (12-6-0, 3.34 GAA, .888 SV% in 2021-22 w/Toronto) vs. Alexandar Georgiev (15-10-2, 2.92 GAA, .898 SV%, 2 SO in 2021-22 w/N.Y. Rangers)
The veteran Mrazek gets a chance at a starting gig in the Windy City. The journeyman netminder is with his 3rd team in the past 3 seasons. He is just 2 seasons removed from a solid 6-2-3 record with a 2.06 GAA and .923 SV% with 3 SO in a revival with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2020-21.
Georgiev won 15 games last season for the Rangers playing behind star G Igor Shesterkin. The Bulgarian now gets a chance to start for the defending champs. He has been consistent, posting exactly 2 SO in each of his past 4 seasons.
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Blackhawks at Avalanche picks and predictions
Prediction
Avalanche 4, Blackhawks 2
Moneyline
There is very little chance that the Avalanche (-420) start off their title defense with a loss to the hapless Blackhawks, but you cannot risk more than 4 times your potential return.
PASS, and look to the puck line instead.
Puck line/Against the spread
BLACKHAWKS +2.5 (-130) is worth playing lightly. While Chicago is going to be awful this season, they were pretty bad in 2021-22, too. Colorado swept the 4-game regular-season series, but the Avalanche won 3 of those games by 2 goals and the other game in OT. The ‘Hawks won’t win, but they can hang around and make things interesting.
Over/Under
The UNDER 6.5 (-105) is 5-2-1 in the past 8 meetings in Denver. This won’t be a defensive slog, but we should see some better-than-average goaltending.
Georgiev should be energized playing with the champion Avs, and Mrazek should be much better after a disastrous season in Toronto, especially now that he is 100 percent healthy.
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