St. Louis Blues vs Colorado Avalanche Prediction

ATS PREDICTION

Colorado Avalanche Win

Predicted: 3-4

⚡65%

The Colorado Avalanche, despite a recent 3-2 loss to the Blues and significant injuries to key players like Cale Makar and Nicolas Roy, remain a dominant force in the NHL, holding the top spot in the Central Division with a 50-16-10 record. Their league-leading offense averages 3.7 goals per game. While the St. Louis Blues are playing at home and recently defeated the Avalanche, their overall defensive statistics (3.1 goals against per game, 23rd in the league) are a concern against Colorado's firepower. The Avalanche will be motivated to avenge their recent loss, and even with injuries, their depth and the elite talent of Nathan MacKinnon (51 goals, 122 points) give them an edge.

SPREAD PREDICTION

St. Louis Blues +1.5 (+1.5)

75%

The St. Louis Blues recently beat the Avalanche 3-2, demonstrating their ability to keep games close against top teams, especially at home. With Colorado missing star defenseman Cale Makar and center Nicolas Roy, and Valeri Nichushkin day-to-day, the Avalanche's offensive and defensive capabilities are somewhat hampered. The Blues, featuring a hot Robert Thomas who recorded a hat trick in their last encounter, are in strong form, making the +1.5 spread a confident pick for them to either win or lose by a single goal.

TOTAL PREDICTION

Over 5.5

70%

Both teams have shown a propensity for high-scoring games recently. The Avalanche, even with injuries, boast the league's top offense, averaging 3.7 goals per game. They've had recent games with 9, 8, and 7 goals scored by their opponents or combined. The Blues also put up 6 goals against Anaheim recently and scored 3 against the Avalanche in their last game. While the previous game between them had 5 goals, the offensive talent on both sides, coupled with the Avalanche potentially having a backup goalie and missing a key defenseman, points towards the over.

❌ Moneyline: St. Louis Blues

While the Blues just won, the Avalanche are still the superior team with strong motivation to bounce back. The implied probability might be slightly too high given the Avs' overall season performance and elite status. However, with injuries to the Avs, the gap is narrowed.

✅ Anytime Goal Scorer: Robert Thomas (STL)

Robert Thomas recorded a hat trick in the last game against the Avalanche and has 5 goals and 5 assists in his last 5 games, indicating exceptional current form. He's a strong offensive presence for the Blues, making his anytime goal scorer odds potentially undervalued.

✅ Player Points (Over/Under): Nathan MacKinnon (COL) Over 1.5 Points

Nathan MacKinnon leads the NHL in goals (51) and is third in points (122) and assists (71). Even with other injuries, he is the primary offensive driver for the Avalanche and is highly likely to contribute multiple points in a game where Colorado will be pushing for a win.

💰 Sharp Money

There isn't specific information on 'sharp money' movements in the provided results, but the heavily juiced spread for Blues +1.5 suggests professional bettors might be backing the underdog to cover. Line movement: The provided information doesn't detail specific line movements since opening, but the current odds reflect the Avalanche as favorites despite their recent loss to the Blues.