The NHL betting action continues Thursday, March 3, 2022, with nine games around the league, including the Central Division showdown at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona, so here’s the best Avalanche vs. Coyotes betting pick.

Colorado and Arizona close down their four-game regular-season series and the Avs search for their third win over the Yotes in 2021-22. According to Bovada Sportsbook, Colorado is a massive -400 moneyline fave, while the totals sit at 6.5 goals. 

The Avs eye their fifth straight W         

The Colorado Avalanche (40-10-4) extended their winning streak to four games last Tuesday. They beat the New York Islanders 5-3 as -300 home favorites. The Avs erased a 3-2 deficit thanks to three unanswered goals in the third period.

Five different players found the back of the net against the Islanders, including winger Gabriel Landeskog, who now has 29 goals and 26 assists on his season tally. Darcy Kuemper posted 28 stops, improving to 27-6-2 on the season.

Kuemper should be in the crease Thursday. He boasts a 2.47 GAA and .919 save percentage. The Avalanche surrender 2.81 goals per game (tied-11th in the NHL) and score 3.98 in a return (2nd). They own the third-best shooting percentage in the league (11.4%) and have scored the most power-play goals (44).

The Yotes lost four of their last six contests           

The Arizona Coyotes (14-35-4) are coming off a tough 5-3 defeat to the Winnipeg Jets this past Sunday. Just a couple of days after a huge 3-1 home win over the Vegas Golden Knights, the Yotes blew a big chance to make it a winning streak.

Arizona had a 3-2 lead at the end of the second period, but the Jets dominated in the third, tallying three unanswered goals. The Yotes took 29 shots towards Winnipeg’s backup goalie, while Scott Wedgewood conceded four goals on 37 shots.

Karel Vejmelka will get the starting call Thursday against Colorado. The 25-year-old rookie is 7-21-1 with a 3.51 GAA and .900 save percentage. The Coyotes surrender 3.60 goals per game (30th in the NHL) and tally only 2.28 in a return (32nd) on an 8.8 shooting percentage (tied-23rd).

Trends:

Colorado:

  • 6-1 in the last seven games overall 
  • 9-1 in the last ten games on the road

Arizona:

  • 4-11 in the last 15 games overall
  • 2-7 in the last nine games at home
  • 1-5 in the last six home contests against Colorado

Colorado Avalanche vs. Arizona Coyotes Pick

I won’t overthink this game even though the hapless Coyotes have defeated the Avs last time they met each other. Arizona has earned the fewest points in the entire NHL, while Colorado is leading the league with 84 points.

The Avs shouldn’t have any problems defeating the Yotes by two or more goals. Colorado beat the puckline in six of its last seven victories. On the other side, four of Arizona’s last six losses came by two or more goals.

Pick: Take Colorado Avalanche -1.5 at -150                     

The Total:

I wouldn’t be surprised if Colorado scores five or more goals on its own. The Avs have accounted for at least five goals in four of their previous six outings. Three of their last four games have seen more than six goals on the scoreboard.

Hopefully, the Yotes will find a way to score a couple of goals. They’ve netted at least three in six of their previous seven showings, so it’s fair to say that Arizona’s offense has done a solid job as of late.

Pick: Go over 6.5 goals at +105