In their second head-to-head meeting of the regular season, the Colorado Avalanche and the Vancouver Canucks collide at Rogers Arena in a Western Conference matchup. The action will get started at 10 p.m. ET on Tuesday, February 20, and it can be watched live on Sportsnet Pacific.
Colorado Avalanche at Vancouver Canucks Odds
With a -115 moneyline, Vancouver enters the game as the narrow favorite. The line for Colorado sits at -105, and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at 6 goals. The odds for betting the total stand at -120 for the under and +100 for the over.
Colorado is 31-27 straight up (SU) and has netted 8.7 units for moneyline bettors this season. Through 58 regular season matches, 31 of its games have gone over the total, while 24 have gone under and just three have pushed. The Avs are 11-18 SU as an away team in 2017-18.
Colorado has converted on 18.5 percent of its power play chances this year, a mark that’s right around league average. Its penalty kill is ranked sixth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 83.3 percent of all penalties.
For the team as a whole, Colorado has been sent to the penalty box 4.1 times per game overall in the 2017-18 season, and 3.5 per game over its past ten matchups. The team has had to stave off opponent power plays just 7.6 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Averaging 28.0 saves per game with a .913 save percentage, Semyon Varlamov (15-17-2) has been the best option in goal for Colorado this year. If it decides to rest him, however, the team might 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 season. MacKinnon has 61 points via 24 goals and 37 assists, and has recorded multiple points 18 times. Rantanen has 18 goals and 35 assists to his credit, and has notched at least one point in 35 games.
Vancouver is 23-36 straight up (SU) and has lost 5.6 units for moneyline bettors thus far. Through 59 regular season contests, 34 of its games have gone over the total, while 25 have gone under and none have pushed. It’s 11-18 SU at home this year.
Vancouver has converted on 20.9 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 23rd overall, and it’s successfully killed off 78.6 percent of all opponent power plays.
Vancouver players have been penalized 3.8 times per game in total this season, and 4.8 per game over their last five home outings. The team has been forced to kill penalties 8.6 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Jacob Markstrom (26.3 saves per game) has been the top option in goal for Vancouver. Markstrom has 16 wins, 27 losses, and five OT losses to his name and has recorded a poor .908 save percentage and 2.78 goals against average this year.
The Nucks offense will be led by Brock Boeser (27 goals, 22 assists).
Colorado Avalanche at Vancouver Canucks Betting Predictions
Pick: SU Winner – Avalanche, O/U – Under
Betting Trends
- The total has gone over in three of Vancouver’s last five games.
- The Canucks are 11-15 SU in games where they serve more penalty minutes than their opponent while the Avalanche are 10-12 SU when they serve more minutes than their opponent.
- Colorado is 1-1 in games decided by a shootout this season while Vancouver is 0-3 in shootouts.
- Vancouver is ranked 24th in the NHL this season with 6.2 takeaways per game. That figure’s trended upward recently, as it has averaged 7.8 takeaways over its last 10 games and 9.0 takeaways over its last five.
- Colorado is ranked 20th overall with 6.8 takeaways per game. That figure has trended lower recently, however, as it has averaged 5.5 takeaways over its last 10 games and 6.0 takeaways over its last five.
