The New Jersey Devils (9-16-5) visit the Colorado Avalanche (20-8-3) Friday at Pepsi Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET. We analyze the Devils-Avalanche sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.
Devils at Avalanche: Projected starting goalies
Mackenzie Blackwood vs. Philipp Grubauer
Blackwood has been charged with three losses in his last five outings and is now 8-9-4 for the season. He has a .902 save percentage and 3.00 goals against average.
Grubauer has won three straight decisions and is 10-5-2 in his first year as the true starter. He has a .914 SV% and 2.76 GAA.
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Devils at Avalanche: 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 at 9:20 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Avalanche 6, Devils 2
Moneyline (ML)
The AVALANCHE (-250) are about as safe of a play as we get in hockey and the odds are higher than they should be with a $10 bet returning an adequate profit of $4. The Devils (+200) are second-last in the NHL with just 23 points through 30 games. New Jersey head coach John Hynes was fired earlier this month, and the team has now lost six straight games.
The Avalanche are 9-3-2 at home and coming off a 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers Wednesday. They’ve won seven of their last eight games.
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
Double down on the hosts and back the AVALANCHE (-1.5, +110) to win by at least 2 goals and receive an $11 profit on a $10 bet. All but two of the Devils’ last six losses were decided by at least two goals as they play the third of a four-game Western Conference swing. Five of Colorado’s last seven wins came by at least a two-goal margin.
The Avs are 20-11 against the spread overall and 8-6 at home. The Devils are just 10-20 ATS overall and 5-9 on the road.
Over/Under (O/U)
Take the OVER 6.5 (+115) with the very real possibility of the Avs taking care of the 7 goals all on their own. Both teams hit the Over in just four of their last 10 games, but Colorado has scored at least six goals in a game five times this season. We won’t need much from New Jersey.
Esten’s NHL betting record: 118-97
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