The NHL is giving us a six-game slate on Monday, December 5, including this inter-conference encounter, and here you can get the best Avalanche vs. Flyers betting pick and odds.

Philadelphia is hoping to avoid the third straight defeat when they host Colorado at Wells Fargo Center. The Avalanche are -198 moneyline favorites on BookMaker Sportsbook, while the total is set at 6 goals. These inter-conference rivals have met twice last year, and the Avs won both games.

Avalanche couldn’t snap the Bruins’ fantastic streak in Boston

The Colorado Avalanche (13-8-1-0, 13-9 ATS) were seen as the team who can finally beat the Boston Bruins at TD Garden, but the reigning Stanley Cup champions failed to do so. Boston is still unbeaten at home after an emphatic 5-1 victory over the Avs, so Colorado is now looking to return to winning ways against Philadelphia, in the fourth and final game of the current road trip.

The Avalanche were inferior in Boston and they trailed 3-0 after the opening two periods. Andrew Cogliano cut the deficit to two, but the hosts added a couple of more goals to secure a comfortable W. Boston fully deserved it as it has 40 shots opposite Colorado’s 25. This year, the Avalanche is relying on their three stars from the previous season. Nathan MacKinnon leads the team with 33 points (G 8, A 33), Mikko Rantanen is right behind with 31 (G 14, A 17), while Cale Makar has 23 points (G 6, A 17).

Alexandar Georgiev (11-3-1) is a probable goaltender when the Avalanche takes on the Flyers on Monday. The 26-year-old is allowing 2.58 goals per game this season, along with a .922 SV% and one shutout.

LW Darren Helm (hip), LW Gabriel Landeskog (lower body), and LW Valeri Nichushkin (ankle) are out indefinitely and will not play on Monday against Philadelphia.

Flyers are back to losing

The Philadelphia Flyers (8-12-4-1, 14-11 ATS) did manage to snap a ten-game losing skid with a home win over the New York Islanders, but they returned to losing ways with defeats in the next two against the Tampa Bay Lightning and New Jersey Devils, also at home. Philadelphia will welcome Colorado on Monday and Washington on Wednesday, after which the Flyers will hit on a four-game road trip.

The Flyers had an active 1-1 result after the first two periods, but New Jersey scored two early in the final period, and only the hosts could do is to soften a defeat. Travis Konecny and Lukas Sedlak scored in a 3-2 loss, while goalie Carter Hart registered a season-low 15 saves. Philadelphia was better in shots (33-18), but that wasn’t enough to avoid a defeat. So far this season, Kevin Hayes leads the team in points with 25 (G 8, A 17), while Konecny has 21 (G 9, A 12).

Carter Hart (7-7-4) will get a chance to redeem himself with another start when the Flyers host the Avalanche on Monday. The 24-year-old is surrendering 2.82 goals per contest this year with a .911 SV% and no shutouts.

LW James van Riemsdyk (finger), C Sean Couturier (back), RW Cam Atkinson (upper body), and D Ryan Ellis (back) are out indefinitely and will not feature on Monday against the Avs.

Trends:

Colorado:

  • 16-5 in the last 21 vs. Metropolitan Division rivals
  • 28-11 in the last 39 after allowing five goals or more in their previous game

Philadelphia:

  • 3-9 in the last 12 vs. Western Conference opponents
  • 1-6 in the last seven home games
  • 13-38 in the last 51 after scoring two goals or less in their previous game

Colorado Avalanche vs. Philadelphia Flyers Pick  

Colorado’s offense is still not playing at the level they played last year, mostly because of injuries to key players such as Landeskog and Nichushkin, but this current offense should be enough to beat one of the weakest teams in the NHL. Philadelphia is the worst when it comes to goals per game with 2.36, while the Avalanche are allowing 2.77 goals per contest, so it’s going to be extremely hard to score more than two or three against Alexandar Georgiev, who has been excellent this season. He did surrender nine goals in his previous two starts, but Georgiev did face Buffalo and Winnipeg, who have a lot better offenses than Philly’s. I expect an easy victory for the visitors here.

Pick: Take the Avalanche at -1.5 Run Line (+130)

The Total

Although its offense is struggling, Philadelphia’s defense is actually not bad. The Flyers allow 3.24 goals per contest, but Carter Hart did allow at least three in seven of his last eight starts. Colorado will be looking to bounce back from a devastating defeat in Boston, so I expect MacKinnon and co. to score 4+ goals in this one. Over is 4-1 in the Avalanche’s last five after allowing five goals or more in their previous game, while Over is 4-1 in Colorado’s previous five following a loss of three or more goals.

Pick: Go Over 6 goals (-110)