The Colorado Avalanche (40-19-8) visit the San Jose Sharks (29-34-5) for some late-night (10 p.m. ET) West Coast NHL action Sunday on NBCSN. We analyze the Colorado-San Jose odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.
Avalanche at Sharks: Projected starting goalies
Pavel Francouz vs. Martin Jones
Francouz owns a nifty .924 save percentage through 31 games. He’s registered a goals-against average of 2.39 and has been a steadying influence in the absence of No. 1 goaltender Philipp Grubauer, who has been on the shelf with a groin injury since mid-February. But after posting a .957 SV% in his first six games in Grubauer’s absence, Francouz has allowed nine goals over two starts since.
Jones has registered a 2.97 GAA and .898 SV% in 40 games. He’s struggled from a consistency standpoint and has been more prone to clunkers. But Jones has been notably better over his last eight games (2.02 GAA, .927 SV%). A downside here may be the 30-year-old’s rest interval of two days. His 2019-20 save percentage in such situations in .873.
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Avalanche at Sharks: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Prediction
Colorado 4, San Jose 1
Moneyline (ML)
In an admittedly small sample size, the Avalanche have bounced back well after clunkers on the same road trip. The Avs are certainly coming off one of those Sunday having 6-3 Friday at Vancouver. Puck-possession and shot-type analytics run counter to recent missteps, including losses in Colorado’s last two games (the Avs lost 4-3 in overtime at home Wednesday against Anaheim). San Jose is 3-6 over its last nine games at home. The Sharks are playing the back half of a Saturday-Sunday double: the Sharks are 3-6-1 with no rest days in the bank.
COLORADO -167 is a solid play, perhaps one to be coupled with the Avs on the puck line for some insurance.
New to sports betting? A successful $10 bet on the Avs to win outright would return a profit of $5.99.
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
Only the Detroit Red Wings have lost more games by three or more goals than the Sharks. San Jose has lost 21 such games and another six by two goals. The Avs are 10-2 in their last 12 against losing teams.
COLORADO -1.5 (+165) IS A STRONG PLAY.
Over/Under (O/U)
The total here figures as too close to leverage either way.
PASS on the 5.5 (-121/+100) total.
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