Rogers Place will play host to a Western Conference showdown as the Edmonton Oilers welcome the visiting Colorado Avalanche. It’s the third and final time that the two clubs will go at it in the regular season. Sportsnet ONE will air the matchup, and the puck drops at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 22.
Colorado Avalanche at Edmonton Oilers Odds
Edmonton (-135) is currently favored over Colorado (+115) and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals (-110 for the over, -110 for the under).
Colorado is 32-27 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 9.7 units this year. 32 of its contests have gone over the total, while 24 have gone under and just three have pushed. This 2017-18 Avalanche team is 12-18 SU on the road.
Colorado has converted on 20.3 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, it has the fifth-best penalty kill in the league, and the team’s successfully killed off 83.0 percent of its penalties.
Colorado, as a collective unit, has been penalized 4.1 times per game overall this season, and 3.3 per game over its last ten contests. The team’s had to kill penalties just 7.2 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Sporting a .912 save percentage and 27.9 saves per game, Semyon Varlamov (16-17-2) has been the best option in goal for Colorado this year. If it chooses to rest him, however, head coach Jared Bednar may roll with Jonathan Bernier (17-13-2), who has a .914 save percentage and 2.82 goals against average this year.
The visiting Avalanche have relied on Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen this year. MacKinnon has 65 points via 25 goals and 40 assists, and has recorded multiple points in 18 different games. Rantanen has 19 goals and 37 assists to his credit (and has registered a point in 35 games).
On the other side of the rink, Edmonton is 24-35 straight up (SU) and has lost 18.3 units for moneyline bettors this year. 29 of its games have gone under the total, while 28 have gone over and just two have pushed. The team is 12-17 SU at home this season.
Edmonton has converted on just 14.5 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a figure that’s ranked 31st in the NHL. Its penalty kill is also ranked 31st overall, and it’s successfully killed off 72.3 percent of all opponent power plays.
Edmonton skaters have been penalized 3.8 times per game in total this season, and 4.6 per game over their last five home outings. The team’s had to kill penalties just 7.1 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Cam Talbot has stopped 26.7 shots per game as the primary netminder in goal for Edmonton. Talbot has 21 wins, 26 losses, and two OT losses to his credit and has recorded a pedestrian 3.12 goals against average and a poor .903 save percentage this year.
The home team offense will be led by Connor McDavid (26 goals, 43 assists).
Colorado Avalanche at Edmonton Oilers Free Picks
NHL Prediction: SU Winner – Oilers, O/U – Under
Betting Notes
- The under has hit in three of Edmonton’s last five games.
- The Avalanche are 14-10 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 20-18 in games where they serve fewer than 10 total penalty minutes.
- Edmonton is 2-1 in games decided by a shootout this season while Colorado is 1-1 in shootouts.
- Edmonton is ranked 11th with 7.8 takeaways per game. That figure’s trended lower recently, however, as the team has created 6.4 takeaways over its last 10 games and 7.0 takeaways over its last five.
- Colorado is ranked 21st with 6.8 takeaways per game. That figure has trended lower, however, as it has averaged 5.7 takeaways over its last 10 games and 5.0 takeaways over its last five.
