Two teams that split their head-to-head series (two wins apiece) a year ago, the Minnesota Wild and the Colorado Avalanche open the season at the Pepsi Center in a divisional tilt. Fox Sports North will showcase the matchup, which gets going at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 5.
Minnesota Wild at Colorado Avalanche Odds
The Avalanche (-185) are being tabbed as the favorites over the Wild (+160), and oddsmakers have put the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals (-110 for the over, -110 for the under).
Neither team posted a particularly strong 2018-19 season. The Minnesota Wild were just 37-45 straight up (SU) last season, while the Colorado Avalanche finished 38-44.
The visiting Wild managed to score 2.57 goals per game on offense (31.3 shot attempts per game), while the defense allowed 2.89 goals per contest. Opponents only had to average 29.5 shots per game to achieve that 2.89 figure last year.
Fueled by an offense that managed 32.7 shot attempts per contest, the Avalanche were able to notch 3.14 goals/game. They yielded 31.8 shots and 2.95 goals per game on defense.
The Wild were successful on 20.3 percent of their power play opportunities during the 2018-19 season. They successfully killed off 81.7 percent of all opponent power plays.
The Avalanche scored on 21.0 percent of their man-advantages and killed off 79.3 percent of the power plays encountered by the defense.
Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche Betting Predictions
Free Pick: SU Winner – Avalanche, O/U – Over
Betting Notes
- The Wild went 1-4 in games decided by a shootout last season while the Avalanche were 2-2 in shootouts.
- Minnesota skaters recorded 19.5 hits per game last season, while the Avs accounted for 21.9 hits per contest.
