Avalanche vs. Wild Predictions, Odds, Preview


  • Jan. 31, 2021
  • By Joe Williams
  • VegasInsider.com

The Colorado Avalanche (6-3-0) and Minnesota Wild (5-4-0) wrap up their quick-hitter, two-game weekend series at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

The Avalanche had lost 12 of their past 17 trips to the Twin Cities prior to Friday's game, but they came away with an emphatic 5-1 victory on Minnesota's home ice. Philipp Grubauer barely had to break a sweat, stopping 19 of the 20 shots he faced to improve to 6-2-0 with a 1.75 goals-against average and .930 save percentage. Since he faced such a small workload he might be right back in there Sunday.

The Wild have been rather middling on offense, averaging 3.0 goals per game to rank 15th in the NHL. They're averaging just 2.3 goals per game over the past three, and a big reason for their power outage has been due to their struggles on the power play. They rank 30th in the NHL on the man advantage at just 5.9 percent.

Avalanche vs. Wild Betting Resources

Betting Odds – Avalanche vs. Wild

Line Movements

Subject to Change

  • Money-Line: Colorado -155 Minnesota +130
  • Puck-Line: Colorado -1.5 (+170), Minnesota +1.5 (-200)
  • Total: Over 6 (+100) Under 6 (-120)

The Wild and Avalanche will wrap up their two-game set from Xcel Energy Center on Sunday in a back-to-back situation. (AP)

Avalanche vs. Wild Current Form-Last Game

The Avalanche opened the scoring early on Saturday, as Logan O'Connor scored his first of the season just 3:02 into the game. Matt Dumba leveled the score at 1-1 just a few minutes later. Joonas Donskoi struck on the power play for the go-ahead goal at 19:43, and that goal stood up as the game-winning tally.

Mikko Rantanen also struck for his seventh goal of the season, moving into a tie for second place on the early season league leaders board with Edmonton's Connor McDavid. Brandon Saad and J.T. Compher also wrapped up the scoring, as Kaapo Kahkonen had very few answers.

The Avalanche were supposed to be a well-oiled machine, but they have been a bit uneven during the early going. Perhaps this is a sign of things to come.

Avalanche vs. Wild Head-to-Head

  • Jan. 30, 2021 - Avalanche 5 at Wild 1, Colorado -145, Over 5.5
  • Feb. 9, 2020 - Avalanche 3 at Wild 2, Colorado -130, Under 6.5

(SU-Straight Up, OU - Over-Under)

Colorado Avalanche Outlook

Inside the Stats (2020-2021)

  • Overall: 6-3 SU, 4-5 O/U
  • Road: 3-2 SU, 2-3 O/U

As mentioned above, the Avalanche have had some issues on offense, and that wasn't supposed to be. They have scored three or fewer goals in six of nine games overall, but they're now up to 3.5 goals per game to rank seventh in the NHL, as they're slowly starting to round into form.

The power play is starting to click, as they rank eighth in the league at 31.6 percent. A big reason for Colorado's success lately has been their work on defense and in net. They are sixth in both goals allowed and shots against, and they rank second in the NHL on the penalty kill at 90.3 percent.

Colorado will be playing in their third game in four days. They're 8-2 in the past 10 in the third game of a 3-in-4 situation, and they're 4-1 in the past five against teams with a winning overall record. And in the second end of a back-to-back set they have won five of the past seven.

Minnesota Wild Betting Outlook

Inside the Stats (2020-2021)

  • Overall: 5-4 SU, 5-4 O/U
  • Home: 2-3 SU, 3-2 O/U

The Wild have managed just two victories across the past seven games overall, and they have won just once in the past six games as a home underdog. That includes Saturday's ugly 5-1 setback on home ice.

Minnesota looks to bounce back in the second end of the double dip, but that hasn't worked out well recently. They're just 6-14 in the past 20 when working on no rest, and they're 4-13 in the past 17 in the third game in a 3-in-4 situation.

The Wild just haven't been the same lately with Cam Talbot out with a lower-body injury. Kahkonen looks overworked and overwhelmed trying to handle the No. 1 duties all on his own.

Avalanche vs. Wild Prediction

Score Prediction: Avalanche 4, Wild 1
Best Bet: Avalanche -1.5 (+170)


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