The Colorado Avalanche played with fire throughout Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinals series against the St. Louis Blues, yet escaped unscathed. So the Avs stuck their hands in the flames again in Thursday’s Game 2. This time, they got burned — as did bettors who laid a big price on Colorado.
Speaking of big prices: The Avalanche not only are sizable road favorites on the NHL playoff odds board heading into Game 3 in St. Louis on Saturday, but they remain a better than -300 chalk to oust the Blues — as well as an overwhelming favorite to win the Cup.
Can the Avs’ prolific offense finally solve the riddle that has been St. Louis goalie Jonathan Binnington? Or will the Blues — who have been running hot for nearly two months — defend home ice and take firm control of a series most assumed would be a massive mismatch in Colorado’s favor?
Props.com breaks down NHL playoff odds and action for Avalanche vs Blues, the lone game on the league’s playoff docket for Saturday.
Odds via DraftKings and updated as of 1:15 p.m. ET on May 21.
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Colorado Avalanche vs St. Louis Blues (Game 3)
Puck Drop/TV: 8 p.m. ET/TNT
Moneyline: Avalanche -170/Blues +145
Puckline: Avalanche -1.5 (+145)/Blues +1.5 (-165)
Total: 6.5 (Over -115/Under -105)
Best-of-7 series: Tied, 1-0.
Updated series odds: Colorado -320/St. Louis +250
Game 2 recap: St. Louis scored a pair of goals in the second period and never looked back on the way to a 4-1 road victory, cashing as a hefty +205 consensus road favorite. The game fell short of the 6.5-goal total, bringing the Under to 2-0 in the series. Blues forward David Perron scored two goals, and Binnington turned aside 30 of Colorado’s 31 shots. Through two games, the St. Louis netminder has made 81 saves on 85 shots (.953 save percentage).
Slap Shots
Avalanche: Thursday’s loss ended Colorado’s five-game winning streak to begin the playoffs. Two of those victories were in overtime, including a 3-2 triumph in the opener of this series Tuesday. … Colorado lost its final four road games to close the regular season (outscored 17-7). However, the Avs won both games at Nashville in the first round (7-3 and 5-3). … Colorado is still 7-3 in its last nine against St. Louis, but only 3-2 this season. The Blues actually have outscored the Avs 17-16. … The winning team has scored at least four goals in 10 of the last 11 Avalanche-Blues meetings.
Blues: St. Louis (6-3 playoffs) has won four of its last five (2-0 at home). Thanks mostly to Binnington’s efforts, the Blues have allowed just nine goals during this stretch. That’s two fewer goals than they gave up in Games 2 and 3 of their opening round series against Minnesota. … St. Louis has tallied five total goals in its three postseason losses and 23 in its six wins. … The Blues are now 19-5-2 dating to March 28. They’re 8-2-1 at home during this stretch, scoring at least four goals in nine of those 11 contests. … … St. Louis has scored first in five straight games and six of eight in the playoffs.
From the Penalty Box
St. Louis is 2-for-3 on the power play in this series (1-for-2 in Game 2). Colorado is 1-for-5 (1-for-2 in Game 2). For the postseason, the Avalanche (8-for-21) and Blues (10-for-29) rank first and second, respectively, on the power play by percentage. St. Louis’ 10 power-play goals are second only to Tampa Bay (11).
The Blues have killed 24 of 29 power plays (82.76%, 7th). Colorado has killed 11 of 16 (68.75%, 12th).
Betting Nuggets
- Colorado is 22-9 in its last 31 playoff games as a favorite
- Colorado is 7-18 in its last 25 conference semifinal games
- St. Louis is 7-3 in its last 10 as an underdog
- St. Louis is 3-8 in its last 11 as a playoff underdog
- Over is 16-7 in Colorado’s last 23 playoff games as a favorite
- Over is 13-6-1 in Colorado’s last 20 conference semifinal games
- Favorite is 37-15 in the last 52 series meetings
- Road team is 5-2 in the last seven series clashes
- Over is 6-1-1 in the last eight Avs-Blues battles in St. Louis
Prediction: Avalanche 3, Blues 2
NHL Playoff Odds and Action Updates
UPDATE 6 P.M. ET SATURDAY: Two hours before faceoff, Colorado is a -170 chalk in WynnBet’s Saturday NHL playoff odds market. The Avalanche opened -175 overnight Thursday into Friday, and the nickel drop to -170 came shortly thereafter, with St. Louis sitting at +150. The moneyline hasn’t budged since, with 57% of bets on the Avs, but 67% of cash on the Blues.
The total opened at 6.5 and has seen only price adjustments thus far, to Over -115 on the way to Over -120. Ticket count is dead even, while 63% of money is on the Over.
UPDATE 1:15 P.M. ET SATURDAY: The Avalanche ticked back up to -170 on DraftKings’ NHL playoff odds board, some seven hours before puck drop for Game 3. St. Louis has adjusted from +140 to +145 on the moneyline. Roughly two-thirds of all moneyline wagers (67%) and dollars (64%) are on Colorado.
The puckline shifted from Avalanche (-1.5) +150/Blues (+1.5) -170 to Avalanche +145/Blues -165 on two-way action of 60% tickets on St. Louis and 77% money on Colorado.
The total remains pinned to the opener of 6.5 (Over -115). Ticket count is running 3/1 on the Under, while 58% of the money is also on the Under.
UPDATE 7 P.M. ET FRIDAY: Colorado hit DraftKings’ NHL playoff odds board as a -180 favorite for Game 3, with the Blues at +150. The moneyline slowly trickled down from there, to Avalanche -175, -170 and now -160. St. Louis is currently +140 on the buyback.
The puckline dipped from Avalanche (-1.5) +160/Blues (+1.5) -190 to Avalanche +150/Blues -170. The total remains unchanged from the opener of 6.5 (Over -115).
Check back prior to puck drop Saturday night for additional NHL playoff odds and action updates on Avalanche vs Blues.
