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The St. Louis Blues will head to the Rocky Mountains for a showdown with the Colorado Avalanche. It will be a battle at Ball Arena as we continue our NHL odds series and make a Blues-Avalanche prediction and pick.
The Avalanche are 38-36 over the past 74 games. Significantly, the Avs are 8-2 in the past 10 games against the Blues. The Avalanche won three of four last season. This will be the first meeting between the Blues and Avalanche this season.
Here are the Blues-Avalanche NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Blues-Avalanche Odds
St. Louis Blues: +1.5 (-158)
Moneyline: +172
Colorado Avalanche: -1.5 (+128)
Moneyline: -210
Over: 5.5 (-122)
Under: 5.5 (+100)
How To Watch Blues vs Avalanche
Time: 9 PM ET/6 PM PT
TV: ESPN+, ALT and FDSM
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Blues Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Blues have lost three games in a row and seem to be spiraling out of control. Unfortunately, the slump has put them further back in the playoff race as they trail the Vancouver Canucks by six points for the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference. The urgency is higher than ever as the Blues attempt to stay in the race.
Jordan Kyrou is the leading scorer on this team with 21 goals and 21 assists, including five powerplay markers. Meanwhile, Dylan Holloway has tallied 16 goals and 22 assists, including three powerplay snipes. Robert Thomas has been steady with 12 goals and 24 assists but one powerplay goal. Yet, he has been a wizard in the faceoff circle, winning 427 draws and losing 332. Pavel Buchnevich offers some secondary scoring and comes into this game with 11 goals and 20 assists.
The offense comes into this game ranking 22nd on goals and assists. Also, they are 23rd in shooting percentage and on the powerplay. There has been some inconsistency, but the Blues have the playmakers to put some pucks into the net.
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Jordan Binnington likely gets the start in this game and comes in with a record of 13-19-3 with a 2.89 goals-against average and a save percentage of .897. He will play behind a defense that ranks 18th and goals against but just 28th on the penalty kill. Ultimately, they will have a tough task on defense, stopping two of the best players in the world and preventing either of them from getting clean shots.
The Blues will cover the spread if Kyrou, Holloway, and Thomas can create some scoring chances and get the Blues on the board early. Then, they must avoid taking penalties against a unit that can still be dangerous.
Why the Avalanche Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Avalanche recently bid farewell to Mikko Rantanen, trading him to the Carolina Hurricanes as part of a three-team deal that also netted them Martin Necas. Ultimately, the Avs took a big risk, trading one of their best players with the hopes of getting players who will still be here next season. For this game, the Avalanche will look to take down a team that is struggling to stay in the race. The Avalanche are currently clinging to the Western Conference's top wildcard spot.
Nathan MacKinnon lost his buddy to the Hurricanes but has carried on without him and remains one of the best players in the world. So far, he has tallied 19 goals and 59 assists, including three powerplay markers. MacKinnon has had mixed results in the faceoff circle, winning 453 draws and losing 493. Meanwhile, Cale Makar has continued to play well, racking 18 goals and 38 assists, including eight powerplay conversions. Casey Mittlestadt has played well in a secondary role, netting nine goals and 22 assists. However, he has struggled in the faceoff circle, winning just 287 draws and losing 410.
The offense is sixth in goals and seventh in shooting percentage. Yet, they are just 19th on the powerplay. The Avalanche have been on and off when it comes to scoring this season.
Mackenzie Blackwood makes the start and is 10-5-2 with a 2.28 goals-against average and a save percentage of .918 coming into this game. He will play behind a defense that is 23rd in goals against and 19th on the penalty kill.
The Avalanche will cover the spread if they can score first and build a large lead. Then, their defense must cut the angles and not allow the Blues to get any chances.
Final Blues-Avalanche Prediction & Pick
The Blues are 12-11 against the spread, while the Avalanche are 19-33 against the spread. Moreover, the Blues are 15-10 against the spread on the road, while the Avs are 8-18 against the spread at home. The Blues are 21-26-4 against the over/under, while the Avalanche are 27-24-1 against the over/under.
The Blues have not played well. Yet, they have still done enough to be competitive. Because of this, I am rolling with the Blues to go into Denver and cover the spread.
Final Blues-Avalanche Prediction & Pick: Blues +1.5 (-158)
