A pair of teams with a surplus of depth will go head-to-head on Tuesday as the Colorado Avalanche take on the Winnipeg Jets. Join us for our NHL odds series where our Avalanche-Jets prediction and pick will be unveiled for all to see.
The last time the Avalanche last took the ice, Colorado looked like their old selves in a very impressive 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars. With the victory, the defending champion Avs avenged a disappointing loss to the Canucks prior and have now recorded a win in seven of their previous nine matchups.
When it comes to Winnipeg, the Jets have reeled off back-to-back wins and sit two points ahead of the Avalanche in the Central Division. With a record of 13-6-1, Winnipeg will have a great opportunity to continue their sturdy start to the regular season with another stellar effort later this evening.
Here are the Avalanche-Jets NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NHL Odds: Avalanche-Jets Odds
Colorado Avalanche: -1.5 (+180)
Winnipeg Jets: +1.5 (-225)
Over: 6 (-105)
Under: 6 (-115)
Why The Avalanche Could Cover The Spread
Colorado showcased their resiliency by overwhelming a very good Stars team for the majority of the contest. The main thing that the Avs excelled in and what also makes them such a special team was the fact that they received outstanding play by their newly acquired goalie in Alexander Georgiev. Awarded as the first star of the game in the hard-fought win, the former Rangers goaltender has been a welcomed addition for Colorado this season after the club lost their goalie in Darcy Keumper, who served as the net-minder from last year's Stanley Cup squad. Since coming west to Colorado from the Big Apple, Georgiev has compiled a solid 10-2-1 when in net and ranks among the top-five of goalies in goals against and save percentage. After racking up an absurd 41 saves on Saturday, another near-flawless performance would go a long way in helping Colorado cover the spread.
In addition, keep your eyes peeled for the electric trio of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Artturi Lehkonen to be at their best. Not only has Colorado been hit with the injury bug but multiple top-liners have been plagued with being hurt. Clearly, these three names represent the best chance for the Avalanche to generate scoring opportunities, and if they are given space to do their thing, then the Jets could end up being in trouble.
Why The Jets Could Cover The Spread
Meanwhile, Winnipeg did the unthinkable and had a team-record 13 players record at least one point coming in the 7-2 rout over Chicago. Alas, this just didn't happen to be a one-time fluke either. In fact, the Jets have compiled 12 goals in their previous two games combined after only generating a lone score in the 6-1 defeat to the Wild back on Nov. 23rd. As a whole, Winnipeg is averaging a productive 3.15 goals per contest which currently ranks in the middle of the pack of the NHL.
A big reason for the Jets' recent wave of scoring prowess has been the play of Pierre-Luc Dubois, who has racked up six points in his past four games including two goals in the win from Sunday. With how good Winnipeg has been on the defensive side of the ice, the Jets don't need to be anything special offensively to get the job done later today.
With that being said, the Jets' strong suit no doubt lies within their human wall of a goaltender in Connor Hellebuyck. Similar to what Colorado has in Georgiev, Hellebuyck has been nothing short of spectacular thus far this season. As it stands, has already garnered a pair of shutouts to his name and also boasts the fourth-best save percentage in all of hockey with a .925 save percentage. Simply put, the Jets may be red-hot with the puck in their possession, but Hellebuyck is clearly their golden ticket to covering.
Final Avalanche-Jets Prediction & Pick
Both teams come into this Western Conference matchup with a surplus of confidence, but the biggest difference maker in this one will be the Avalanche and their proficient 7-3 record away from home. Even being shorthanded, Colorado will find a way to get the job done.
Final Avalanche-Jets Prediction & Pick: Avalanche -1.5 (+180)
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