The 11-game slate in the NHL will start with this inter-conference duel in Detroit on Saturday, March 18, so make sure you don’t miss out on the best Avalanche vs. Red Wings betting pick and odds.

Colorado is searching for the fifth consecutive victory when they visit Detroit at Little Caesars Arena. The Avalanche are -167 moneyline favorites on BetOnline Sportsbook, while the total is set at 6.5 goals. These inter-conference rivals will face for the second time this season; the Avalanche won 6-3 in Denver.

Avalanche edged the Senators in Ottawa

The Colorado Avalanche (39-22-3-3, 34-33 ATS) are playing very well at the moment; they are on a four-game winning streak and will be looking to conclude their four-game road trip with a victory. The Avalanche opened this trip with wins over Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa, and now are in a good position to get another W against Detroit, who is not in good form recently. Colorado climbed up to 5th position in the Western Conference with 84 points, only six behind the leaders Golden Knights and with two games in hand.

The Avs created a 5-2 lead after the first two periods in Ottawa, and although the Senators managed to get a couple of goals in the final frame, Colorado did win 5-4. Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen were impressive with three points apiece, while Cale Makar was right behind with two. These three players are leading the Avalanche in points this season. MacKinnon is also among the top 10 players in the NHL with 85 points (G 29, A 56), followed by Rantanen with 82 (G 45, A 37) and Makar with 58 points (G 16, A 42).

Alexandar Georgiev (30-14-5) will take his place in the cage against Detroit on Saturday. The 27-year-old is allowing 2.61 goals per game this year with a .917 SV% and four shutouts.

LW Darren Helm (lower body), D Erik Johnson (ankle), LW Gabriel Landeskog (lower body), and G Pavel Francouz (lower body) are out indefinitely.

Red Wings fell short of the Predators in Nashville

The Detroit Red Wings (30-28-6-3, 33-34 ATS) managed to snap a six-game losing skid with a win over the Chicago Blackhawks, but they returned to losing ways and lost two of the next three games. The Red Wings’ latest defeat came to the Nashville Predators on the road and dropped to 13th place in the Eastern Conference with 69 points, 19 behind the playoff teams.

Alex Chiasson scored the only goal for the Red Wings against the Predators, but it was too late as the Preds already had a 2-0 lead, and that goal came as consolation in a 2-1 loss. Detroit didn’t deserve to lose this tilt, though, as the Red Wings attempted 29 shots opposite Nashville’s 16. So far this season, Detroit has only one player among the top 100 in the NHL when it comes to points – Dylan Larkin, who leads the team with 64 points (G 25, A 39).

Ville Husso (25-17-6) is expected to start at the goals against the Avalanche on Saturday. The 28-year-old is conceding 2.92 goals per contest this year along with a .903 SV% and three shutouts.

D Mark Pysyk (Achilles) and RW Michael Rasmussen (lower body) are out indefinitely. LW Robby Fabbri (lower body) and LW Filip Zadina (undisclosed) are questionable to face the Avs on Saturday.

Trends:

Colorado:

  • 4-1 in the last five games playing on one day of rest
  • 21-8 in the last 29 in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 situation
  • 38-16 in the last 54 vs. Atlantic Division rivals

Detroit:

  • 2-8 in the last ten overall
  • 17-42 in the last 59 vs. Central Division opponents
  • 7-21 in the last 28 Saturday games

Colorado Avalanche vs. Detroit Red Wings Pick

The Avalanche are in better form right now and the quality is clearly on their side, so I am backing the visitors to get the fifth consecutive victory here. Colorado averages 3.22 goals per game opposite Detroit’s 2.96 goals per contest, while the Avalanche allow 2.79 gpg opposite the Red Wings’ 3.22 gpg. That said, the Avs have been better in key segments, and considering how the mighty trio of MacKinnon-Rantanen-Makar is playing at the moment, I can see only one winner on Saturday. Detroit’s offense is not playing well enough to hurt the Avs here.

Pick: Take the Avalanche at -1.5 Puck Line (+113)

The Total

I mentioned Detroit’s inefficient offense; the Red Wings scored more than three goals in just three of the last ten games. Still, I expect to see a high-scoring affair here because of Colorado’s improving offense which scored 15 goals in the previous three games. The Avs scored 5+ goals in three of the last six games. Over is 5-1 in the last six H2H meetings; Over is 8-2 in the Avalanche’s previous ten vs. Atlantic Division rivals, while Over is 6-1-1 in the Red Wings’ last eight vs. Western Conference opponents.

Pick: Go Over 6.5 goals (-110)