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The Minnesota Wild (30-27-6) and Colorado Avalanche (39-20-5) lock horns in a Friday night battle in Denver. The opening faceoff at Ball Arena is slated for 9 p.m. ET (NHL Network). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Wild vs. Avalanche odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
Minnesota is playing the back half of a 2-day double. On Thursday, the Wild defeated the Arizona Coyotes 5-2. They tote 2 straight wins into their Friday contest in Denver. Minnesota is 4-5-2 with a 3.64 average-goals-allowed mark on no rest.
Colorado, which beat its Central Division foe Minnesota 3-2 in the 1st meeting this season Nov. 24, is closing out a 3-game home stand. The Avalanche pounded the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings by a combined scored of 12-2 over the 1st 2 games of their home stand. The Avs have won 3 straight games at home, all by margins of 4 goals or more.
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Wild at Avalanche odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:20 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Wild +180 (bet $100 to win $180) | Avalanche -225 (bet $225 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Wild +1.5 (-135) | Avalanche -1.5 (+110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Wild at Avalanche projected goalies
Filip Gustavsson (17-15-3, 3.30 GAA, .892 SV%, 2 SO) vs. Alexandar Georgiev (32-15-3, 2.89 GAA, .901 SV%, 2 SO)
Gustavsson last started Sunday, facing only 15 shots (saving 12) in a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. The 25-year-old faced the Avs Nov. 24, allowing 3 goals on 25 shots.
Georgiev has been running hot and cold the last few weeks, alternating strong starts with weak ones. He’s coming off the former, the Colorado rout of Detroit Wednesday. In that contest, the 28-year-old Bulgarian net-minder clocked 27 saves against 29 shots. Georgiev owns a career .914 SV% in home games.
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Wild at Avalanche picks and predictions
Prediction
Avalanche 3, Wild 2
Moneyline
The visitors are the value side in this match-up, but the puck line offers better relative leverage. PASS.
Puck line/Against the spread
The Wild have a 7-1-0 road stretch not too far in the rearview mirror (Jan. 19-Feb. 24). The club’s overall record on no rest is not stellar, but Minnesota is 3-1-0 over its last 4 such games.
Per NaturalStatTrick.com, the Avs have a 5-on-5 shooting percentage of 11.2% over their last 10 games, so recent offensive numbers could well be a bit suspect.
Minnesota has killed off 10 of 11 penalties over its last 3 games against Colorado.
Ticket this contest as having decent probability of being low-scoring and close. An account login for a MINNESOTA +1.5 (-135) play is recommended.
Over/Under
The last 8 meetings of this series have seen the Under go 5-2-1.
Minnesota has yielded just 28.3 shots on goal per game since the All-Star break (just 40 over its last 2 games), and both teams have fared well in keeping would-be shooters clear of the slot of late.
Peg the Avs’ recent 5-on-5 success (3.56 goals per 60 minutes per Natural Stat Trick) as being due for a dose of regression.
TAKE THE UNDER 6.5 (-110).
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