The Colorado Avalanche (5-4-1) and the Columbus Blue Jackets (3-8-0) meet again Saturday in the NHL’s Global Series at Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland. Puck drop is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET (NHL Network). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Avalanche vs. Blue Jackets odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
The Avalanche doubled up the Blue Jackets by a 6-3 score in Friday’s game in front of the rabid Finnish fans. For an extra treat, Colorado’s RW Mikko Rantanen, born in Nousiainen, Finland, notched a hat trick in the win, and Columbus RW Patrik Laine also lit the lamp in his hometown.
Colorado snapped a 2-game mini skid with the win and cashed the Over for the 2nd straight outing.
The good news is that Columbus scored 3 goals on Friday. The bad news is that it lost for the 4th consecutive game, and the Jackets have been outscored 23-7 over that span.
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Avalanche vs. Blue Jackets odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 6:15 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Avalanche -260 (bet $260 to win $100) | Blue Jackets +205 (bet $100 to win $205)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Avalanche -1.5 (-110) | Blue Jackets +1.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -130 | U: +105)
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Avalanche vs. Blue Jackets projected goalies
Pavel Francouz (0-3-0, 3.08 GAA, .898 SV%) vs. Joonas Korpisalo (7-11-0, 4.15 GAA, .877 SV% in 2021-22)
Francouz was on the short end of a hard-luck loss in New Jersey Oct. 28, allowing just a single goal on 23 shots in a 1-0 setback. After a disastrous first appearance in Calgary on the 2nd end of a back-to-back, he has allowed just 4 goals on 61 shots in his past 2 starts.
Korpisalo, the native of Pori, Finland, gets his first start of the season. He last faced the Avalanche Nov. 3, 2021, allowing 4 goals on 32 shots in a 5-4 OT win in Denver last season.
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Avalanche vs. Blue Jackets picks and predictions
Prediction
Avalanche 5, Blue Jackets 2
Moneyline
The difference here is going to be goaltending, and that’s a huge advantage for the Avalanche (-260). However, Colorado will cost you more than 2 1/2 times your potential return, and that’s just too much.
PASS.
Puck line/Against the spread
The AVALANCHE -1.5 (-110) are a great play with Francouz, who is more of a 1A netminder rather than a backup. The Blue Jackets give Korpisalo the nod, and while it’s a great story for the Finn making his first start of the season in Tampere, he was a disaster last season.
Colorado is playing better hockey, and it has the better goaltender in the crease. It doubled up Columbus on Friday, and they’ll likely treat the Jackets poorly again here, too.
Over/Under
OVER 6.5 (-130) is a strong play, especially with the sieve Korpisalo in the crease.
The Over has cashed in 8 of the past 10 games overall for the Jackets, and it is 21-6-2 in their last 29 against Western Conference foes dating back to last season.
The Over has also cashed at a 6-1-1 clip in the previous 8 meetings in this series. Lean Over yet again.
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