The Colorado Avalanche (7-3-1) will play for the first time since Feb. 2, when they open a four-game, home-and-home set against the Vegas Golden Knights (9-2-1) Sunday at T-Mobile Arena in Sin City. Puck drop is set for shortly after 7 p.m. ET. Below, we analyze the Avalanche-Golden Knights NHL odds and lines, with picks and predictions.
The Golden Knights are 4-1-0 since emerging from a COVID-19-induced break of their own. They topped the San Jose Sharks 3-1 Saturday afternoon.
The Avs won two of three games against the Minnesota Wild before their break. D Samuel Girard and LW Gabriel Landeskog will remain sidelined Sunday while still in the league’s COVID protocols.
Avalanche at Golden Knights: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:27 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Avalanche -115 (bet $115 to win $100) | Golden Knights +100 (bet $100 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Avalanche -1.5 (+225) | Golden Knights +1.5 (-275)
- Over/Under: 6 (O: -105 | U: -115)
Avalanche at Golden Knights: Projected starting goalies
Philipp Grubauer (7-2-0, .934 SV%, 1.67 GAA) vs. Oscar Dansk (2019-20 stats: 0-1-0, .838 SV%, 6.00 GAA)
Grubauer was riding a personal four-game win streak when the Avs’ schedule was put on pause last weekend. The veteran stopped 25 of 26 shots in his lone appearance against the Golden Knights last season.
Dansk, a second-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, is expected to make his first appearance of the season with veteran Marc-Andre Fleury playing Saturday and Robin Lehner still sidelined by an upper-body injury. He has appeared in five NHL games.
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Avalanche at Golden Knights: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Golden Knights 4, Avalanche 3
Money line (ML)
The GOLDEN KNIGHTS (+100) are the play as even-money underdogs on home ice. The Avalanche are coming off a long pause and remain without a couple of key pieces, though they have a sizable advantage in the goaltending matchup.
The Avalanche lead the NHL with a 5-on-5 Corsi For rate of 56.63% but the Golden Knights are seventh at 52.52%. The teams are second and fifth, respectively, in full-strength scoring chances.
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Against the spread (ATS)
PASS on the puck line. Backing the Golden Knights to win outright as slight home underdogs is much more profitable than backing them with just a single goal of insurance in the event of a loss.
Colorado has the edge in both power-play and penalty-killing success. Even if the Knights are able to build a multi-goal lead, they’ll struggle to sustain it late in the game, especially with Dansk making a rare appearance in net.
Over/Under (O/U)
The OVER 6 (-105) is the obvious play between these two West Division powerhouses. The alternate line of OVER 6.5 (+120) on the alternate line is the preferred and more profitable play while still needing a total of 7 goals scored for a winning ticket.
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