The Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers meet for Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals Monday at Rogers Place in Edmonton. Puck drop is at 8 p.m. ET (TNT). The Avalanche lead the series 3-0. Below, we look at the Avalanche vs. Oilers Game 4 odds and lines, and make our expert NHL picks, predictions and bets.
The Avalanche picked up a 4-2 road victory in Game 3, but that victory came with a huge price. LW Evander Kane of the Oilers boarded C Nazem Kadri just 66 seconds into the game, and the latter suffered a suspected broken thumb. Head coach Jared Bednar said the forward is out for at least the remainder of this series.
The Oilers suffered an injury of their own, as C Leon Draisaitl briefly left the game after what some fans are calling a slew foot by C Nathan MacKinnon. Draisaitl has performed admirably despite an ankle injury suffered earlier in the spring, and he apparently aggravated the ailment but was able to return.
Avalanche at Oilers odds and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 6:38 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Avalanche -125 (bet $125 to win $100) | Oilers +102 (bet $100 to win $102)
- Against the spread (ATS): Avalanche -1.5 (+170) | Oilers +1.5 (-230)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -150 | U: +120)
Avalanche at Oilers projected goalies
Pavel Francouz (5-0-0, 2.37 GAA, .920 SV%, 1 SO – postseason) vs. Mike Smith (8-5-0, 3.18 GAA, .917 SV%, 2 SO – postseason)
Francouz made his 2nd consecutive start in place of G Darcy Kuemper in Game 3 and he turned aside 27 of the 29 shots he faced for his 2nd straight win. That strong performance followed up a shutout in Game 2.
Smith wasn’t awful in Game 3; he was actually quite good, stopping 39 of the 42 shots he faced. It was easily his best showing of the series, but still not quite good enough.
[tipico]
Avalanche at Oilers picks and predictions
Prediction
Avalanche 4, Oilers 2
Money line
The AVALANCHE (-125) are likely to rally around the injury to Kadri, as Colorado feels as if the hit was dangerous and reckless. Toss in the fact the Oilers will now be without Evander Kane, the team’s leading goal scorer in the playoffs, and it will be too much for the home side to overcome. Expect the Avs to finish off the sweep, and handshakes to ensue.
Against the spread
The AVALANCHE -1.5 (+170) are worth a roll of the dice on the puck line. Colorado has covered the puck line in all 3 games so far. The Avs picked up the empty-net goal late in Game 3 Saturday for the cover. If you like Colorado to win, you should also like it to do so by at least 2 goals.
Over/Under
The UNDER 6.5 (+120) is the play here. Edmonton has its backs to the wall, and it should post its best defensive effort. Plus, the Oilers are without a key offensive player due to suspension.
Watch: ESPN+ has become a must-have for hockey fans. Get access to more than 1,000 out-of-market NHL games, 75 weekly national games, and more all season. Sign up for ESPN+ now!
Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, Sportsbook Wire’s official sportsbook partner in CO, NJ and soon IA. Bet now!
If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW, or try out our USA TODAY Parlay Calculator. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1622]