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The Colorado Avalanche (41-24-3) open a 3-game Canadian road trip against the Toronto Maple Leafs (40-24-3) at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto Wednesday. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (TNT/Max). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NHL odds around the Avalanche vs. Maple Leafs odds and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
Season series: Avalanche lead 1-0
The Avalanche won 7-4 in the first meeting this season in Denver March 8 as moderate favorites (-150) as the Over (6.5) easily connected. F Valeri Nichushkin deposited one into the empty net at 18:06 of the final period for the hat trick, while F Nathan MacKinnon had a pair of third-period goals. For the Maple Leafs, Forwards Mitch Marner and John Tavares scored 2 goals apiece.
Colorado picked up a 4-3 OT win against old friend Mikko Rantanen and the Dallas Stars Sunday, improving to 8-0-1 across the past 9 outings. The Over has hit in 2 in a row, but the Under is 3-1 in the past 4 games on the road.
After going 1-4-1 in a 6-game span from March 3-15, including the loss to the Avs, Toronto bounced back with a 6-2 win over the Calgary Flames wearing the St. Pat’s jerseys Monday night.
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Avalanche at Maple Leafs odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:25 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Avalanche -120 (bet $120 to win $100) | Maple Leafs +100 (bet $100 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Avalanche -1.5 (+200) | Maple Leafs +1.5 (-250)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Avalanche at Maple Leafs projected goalies
Mackenzie Blackwood (24-16-6, 2.50 GAA, .915 SV%, 3 SO) vs. Joseph Woll (23-12-0, 2.75 GAA, .905 SV%, 1 SO)
Blackwood allowed a single goal on 23 shots in a 2-1 SO win in Minnesota last time out on March 11. He had been dealing with an illness, so Scott Wedgewood started games for the past week.
Woll allowed 2 goals on 26 shots in Monday’s 6-2 victory over the Flames, improving to 3-1-0 with a 3.90 GAA and .870 SV% in 4 starts in March. He did not face the Avalanche earlier in the month, and this will be his first career NHL appearance against Colorado.
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Avalanche at Maple Leafs picks and predictions
Prediction
Avalanche 4, Maple Leafs 3
Moneyline
The AVALANCHE (-120) are worth a look as slight favorites on the road.
Colorado has been red-hot lately, going 8-0-1 in the past 9 games, while the Maple Leafs (+100) are a dismal 2-4-1 in the previous 7 outings, although they did blast the Flames last time out.
Colorado has won the past 2 visits to Toronto, too, with the Leafs last winning at Scotiabank against the Avs Dec. 1, 2021.
Puck line/Against the spread
The Maple Leafs +1.5 (-250) will set you back 2½ times your potential return, and that’s way too much risk and not enough reward for a little bit of insurance.
If you like Toronto, just play it straight up, although that’s an extremely risky bet against a red-hot Colorado team.
AVOID.
Over/Under
OVER 6 (-110) is the lean, but go with a half-unit play at most.
The total easily cashed high March 8 in the first meeting, while going 5-1-1 in the past 7 battles in this series. The Over is 7-2-1 in the previous 10 installments, too.
The Over has hit in the past 2 games for the Avs, going 6-3 across the past 9 outings as well.
For the Maple Leafs, the Over is 4-1-1 in the past 6 games. Toronto has had trouble on defense and in goal, allowing 43 goals across the past 12 outings.
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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