The Pepsi Center is playing host a Central Division matchup as the Minnesota Wild travel to Denver to take on the Colorado Avalanche. The opening face-off takes place at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 6, and you’ll be able to catch it live on Altitude Sports & Entertainment.
Minnesota Wild at Colorado Avalanche Odds
With a moneyline of -135, Minnesota enters the contest as the favorite. The line for Colorado sits at +115, and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. The odds for betting the total stand at -115 money on the over and -105 for the under.
Minnesota is 22-19 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 0.4 units this season. Through 41 regular season matches, 22 of its games have gone over the total, while 17 have gone under and just two have pushed. As the road team this season, the Wild are 8-13 SU.
Minnesota has converted on 19.4 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked fourth overall, and it has successfully killed off 84.2 percent of all penalties.
For the team as a whole, Minnesota has been penalized 4.3 times per game this season, and 5.2 per game over its last five road outings. The teams had to kill penalties 11.0 minutes per game over their last five road outings.
Averaging 28.3 saves per game with a .920 save percentage, Devan Dubnyk (16-10-2) has been the best option in goal for Minnesota this year. If head coach Bruce Boudreau decides to rest him, however, the team might turn to Alex Stalock (7-10-1), who has a .916 save percentage and 2.67 goals against average this year.
Eric Staal and Mikael Granlund will both lead the offensive attack for the visiting Wild. Staal (35 points) is up to 17 goals and 18 assists, and has recorded multiple points nine times. Granlund has 11 goals and 19 assists to his creditand has logged a point in 18 games.
Colorado is 21-19 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 5.5 units this year. Through 40 regular season contests, 23 of its games have gone over the total, while 16 have gone under and just one has pushed. The teams 14-8 SU at home this year.
Colorado has converted on 19.9 percent of its power play chances this year, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked fifth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 84.0 percent of all opponent power plays.
Colorado players have been sent to the penalty box 4.3 times per game in total this season, and 3.4 per game over their last five home outings. The teams been forced to kill penalties just 6.8 minutes per game over their last five outings.
Semyon Varlamov has stopped 28.5 shots per game as the primary selection in goal for Colorado. Varlamov has 14 wins, 12 losses, and two OT losses and has recorded a pedestrian 2.87 goals against average and a .912 save percentage this year.
Nathan MacKinnon (17 goals, 32 assists) will pace the attack for the Avs.
Minnesota Wild at Colorado Avalanche Free Picks
Predictions: SU Winner – Avalanche, O/U – Over
Betting Notes
- The total has gone under in three of Colorado’s last five games.
- The Avalanche are 5-10 SU when they serve more penalty minutes than their opponent while the Wild are 13-12 SU in games where they serve more minutes than their opponent.
- Colorado is 1-1 in games decided by a shootout this season while Minnesota is 2-1 in shootouts.
- Colorado skaters have averaged 7.4 takeaways per game over its last five home games, right in line with its season average of 7.3 takeaways per game (ranked 17th).
- Minnesota skaters have created 6.1 takeaways per game (ranked 26th in the league).
