The Wild and Avalanche are set to face off at 9:30 ET on ESPN. The Avalanche will host the game at Ball Arena in Denver, CO. The over/under goal line for this matchup is currently at 6.5 goals, and the Avalanche are favored by -1.5 vs. the Wild.

MINNESOTA WILD VS COLORADO AVALANCHE BETTING PICK

The Pick: Colorado Avalanche -1.5

This game will be played at Ball Arena at 9:30 ET on Tuesday, April 9th.

WHY BET THE COLORADO AVALANCHE:

  • With a 1.5-goal advantage on the spread, our projections favor the Avalanche to secure a 4-3 victory.
  • Take the Avalanche on the moneyline
  • On the spread, we like Wild (+1.5)

Will the Wild Defense Show Up on the Road?

On the season, the Wild are 37-30-10, which has them in 6th place in the Central Division and 10th place in the Western Conference. In games against other Western Conference teams, Minnesota has gone 22-23.

Over their last ten games, the Wild have gone 4-6, and they enter this game having lost two straight games as the underdog. On the road this season, Minnesota has gone 17-16-4.

Minnesota enters this game with a puck line record of 40-37 this season. So far, they have 25 wins by multiple goals and have gone 12-19 in games decided by one goal.

This season, the Wild have been the underdog in 40 games and have gone 24-16 vs. the puck line in those games. Their average scoring margin as the underdog this season is at -1 goal per game.

This season, Minnesota’s games have an average of 6.2 goals per game. The average over/under number for the season is 6.1. The Wild come in with an over/under performance of 36-37-4.

Across their last three road contests, Minnesota has been good against the puck line posting a mark of 2-1. Their overall mark in these games was 2-1, while averaging 2 goals per game.

For their offensive performance, the Wild come in averaging 3 goals per game this season, which is 21st in the NHL. In the category of shots on goal per game, they are 19th in the league. Looking at how the Wild’s offense is performing during power plays, they are 10th in power play goals and 30th in shorthanded goals.

Minnesota’s leading scorer is Kirill Kaprizov. So far, he has 41 goals which is 10th in the NHL. Along with his scoring, he has come up with 48 assists so far.

Colorado defense takes on the Wild ranked 15th in goals allowed. On average, opponents are averaging 29.8 shots per game against Colorado. They also are 17th in shutouts, with 4 shutouts.

Goalie Filip Gustavsson gets the start and has made 41 starts this season. His record at this point is 19-17, and his save percentage is 0.77%.

Can the Avalanche Live Up to the Hype at Home?

At home this season, the Avalanche have been dominant, going 29-8-1. They have been favored in 66 of their 78 games, and they have a record of 43-17-6 in those games. In the Western Conference, Colorado is in 3rd place and 2nd in the Central Division. Over their last ten games, the Avalanche have gone 5-5, and they have lost two straight games.

Overall this season, Colorado has a record of 48-24-6, giving them 102 points, and they have gone 32-14 against Western Conference opponents. In their last five games, the Avalanche have gone 2-3, and they are 1-2 in their last three games. At home, Colorado has gone 29-8-1 this season.

Colorado enters the game with a puck line record of 37-41 and their average scoring margin sits at +.7 goals per game. So far this season, the Avalanche have 34 wins by multiple goals and have gone 22-16 against the puck line at home.

When looking at their last ten home games, the team’s puck line record is 5-5, and their average scoring differential is +1.6 goals per contest. So far, the Avalanche have gone 32-34 against the puck line when favored and 1-2 against the puck line in their last three games.

For the season, the average number of goals per game in matchups featuring Colorado is 6.8. The season’s average over/under line is currently at 6.4. The Avalanche come in with an over/under record of 44-31-3.

Across their last three road contests, Minnesota has been good against the puck line posting a mark of 2-1. Their overall mark in these games was 2-1, while averaging 2 goals per game.

For their offensive performance, the Avalanche come in averaging 3.7 goals per game this season, which is 1st in the NHL. In the category of shots on goal per game, they are 2nd in the league. Looking at how the Avalanche’s offense is performing during power plays, they are 2nd in power play goals and 11th in shorthanded goals.

Colorado’s leading goal scorer is Nathan MacKinnon. So far this season, he has 48 goals, placing him 4th in the NHL. Along with his scoring, he has come up with 85 assists so far.

The Avalanche defense is currently 15th in goals allowed. Opponents are averaging 29.8 shots per game against Colorado. In terms of shutouts, they come into the game ranked 17th with 4 shutouts.

Heading into this matchup vs. Minnesota, goalie Justus Annunen has started 11 games in this season. His current record is 7-4, and his save percentage stands at 0.389%.