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The Vegas Golden Knights (14-6-2) take on the Colorado Avalanche (12-10-0) Wednesday. Puck drop from Ball Arena is set for 10 p.m. ET (TNT). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NHL odds around the Golden Knights vs. Avalanche odds and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
Season series: Golden Knights lead 1-0
The Knights won their third in a row with a 5-4 shootout victory in Philadelphia Monday. C Jack Eichel netted his 8th goal of the season, and C Ivan Barbashev scored his 10th in the victory. Eichel has a point in 9 of 10 games. The Knights were 3-1 on the road trip, only losing the opener. Already without RW Mark Stone, the Knights could be without a couple of their best defensemen with Alex Pietrangelo and Zach Whitecloud questionable with upper-body ailments.
The Avs ended a 3-game winning streak by an 8-2 landslide in Tampa Monday. The only player to score was 22-year-old C Ivan Ivan, and much like his name, he likes things in twos as he scored both goals. C Nathan MacKinnon has just 2 points in the last 5 games.
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Golden Knights at Avalanche odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of NHL odds. Lines last updated at 5:20 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Golden Knights +140 (bet $100 to win $140) | Avalanche -165 (bet $165 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Golden Knights +1.5 (-165) | Avalanche -1.5 (+140)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -120 | U: +100)
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Golden Knights at Avalanche projected goalies
Adin Hill (9-4-1, 2.99 GAA, .887 SV%, 1 SO) vs. Alexandar Georgiev (6-5-0, 3.49 GAA, .871 SV%)
Hill has been solid, but unspectacular this season. He has allowed exactly 2 goals in 4 straight starts, and he’s 3-1-0 in those. He allowed 2 goals on just 17 shots against the Montreal Canadiens Saturday in a 6-2 win. He was 2-0-0 with a 1.48 GAA and .954 SV% against the Avs last season.
Georgiev was OK in 2 wins since coming off IR last week. He stopped 28 of 29 he saw against Washington Thursday and 27 of 31 he saw against Florida Saturday. He was thrust into relief duty Monday, allowing 3 goals on 17 shots in the 8-2 laugher. He was 1-1-1 with a 3.64 GAA and .876 SV% in 3 starts against VGK a season ago.
Golden Knights at Avalanche picks and predictions
Prediction
Avalanche 3, Golden Knights 2
Moneyline
I really want to lean toward Vegas (+140) here, but the banged-up defensemen moves the needle to Colorado (-165). The Avs’ ML is out of my price range for the lackluster goaltending they’ve received all season.
One player that is not banged up for Vegas is D Noah Hanifin. He had 3 shots on goal in the last game and has a 3-game point streak. Take NOAH HANIFIN OVER 0.5 POINTS (+160) for a sizeable payout.
Puck line/Against the spread
I like the GOLDEN KNIGHTS +1.5 (-165) more than I do the Avs ML at the same price. The Avs have scored just 3 empty-net goals this season, and with my feeling that Vegas could take this one outright, this seems like a good wager.
Over/Under
We’re going UNDER 6.5 (+100) because it’s going to have to be an Under game for Colorado to stay in it. Vegas’ defensemen are huge oak trees, and the Avs have scored more than 3 against VGK once in the last 10 meetings.
TAKE UNDER 6.5 (+100).
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