It took the Colorado Avalanche about 15 minutes in Game 1 to show the Nashville Predators — and the entire NHL — why they’re favored to win this year’s Stanley Cup. Thus, Predators vs Avalanche odds for Game 2 should shock precisely nobody: Colorado is a colossal favorite to take a 2-0 lead in its opening-round Western Conference series.
Yet the price the Avs are laying Thursday night is nothing when compared with the adjusted series odds: Colorado is a better than 12-1 favorite to advance to Round 2. That’s what happens when you race out to a 6-0 lead in the series opener.
Props.com examines Predators vs Avalanche odds and action for Game 2 of what figures to be a very quick best-of-7 series.
Odds via PointsBet USA and updated as of 6:15 p.m. ET on May 5.
Game 2: Nashville Predators (0-1) vs. Colorado Avalanche (1-0)
Puck drop/TV: 9:30 p.m. ET/ESPN
Moneyline: Avalanche -375/Predators +285
Puckline: Avalanche -1.5 (-140)/Predators +1.5 (+120)
Total: 6.5 (Over -131/Under +110)
Series Price: Avalanche -1250/Predators +740
Game 1 Recap: Colorado scored five goals in the first 15 minutes of action and rolled to a 7-2 victory as a consensus -315 home favorite. The game flew Over the 6.5 total.
Season Series: Predators 3-2-0; Avalanche 2-1-2
Slap Shots
- Nathan MacKinnon and Davon Toews kicked off Colorado’s scoring onslaught with goals 22 seconds apart less than three minutes into Game 1. The barrage didn’t end until MacKinnon lit the lamp a second time early in the third period for the game’s final goal.
- MacKinnon, Cale Makar (goal, two assists) and Mikko Rantenen (three assists) all tallied three points for the Avalanche.
- Colorado outshot the Predators 45-25, with goalie Darcy Kuemper stopping 23 of the 25 shots he faced.
- Center Matt Duchene scored both of Nashville’s goals on four shots.
- Predators goaltender David Rittich, who started in place of injured No. 1 netminder Juan Sarros, was yanked after allowing the five first-period goals on 13 shots. Connor Ingram came on and stopped 30 of Colorado’s final 32 shots.
- Sarros, who had a 2.64 goals-against average during the season, has a lower body injury and has been ruled out for Game 2.
- The teams combined to go 3-for-9 on the power play (Nashville 1-for-4; Colorado 2-for-5).
Streaks & Stats
Tuesday’s loss snapped the Predators’ three-game winning streak against the Avalanche. Nashville is just 4-6-3 in its last 13 games and has surrendered 42 goals in the last eight.
Colorado finished the regular season in a 1-5-1 slump, including a 5-4 shootout loss at home to Nashville on April 28. With the Game 1 victory, the Avs are now 33-5-4 on home ice this season.
Betting Nuggets
The last five Preds-Avs games soared over the total, with the winning team tallying at least five goals in each contest. The Over is also 4-0 in the last four battles in Denver. … Nashville remains 19-8 in its last 27 meetings against the Avs, including 11-4 in the last 15 played in Colorado.
Game 2 Best Bets
Avalanche -1.5 goals (puckline) and Over 6.5 goals
Predators vs Avalanche Odds and Action
UPDATE 6:15 P.M. ET THURSDAY: The Avalanche, who opened at -385 for Game 2 and were down to -380 early this afternoon, have ticked down a smidge again at PointsBet USA. The moneyline now shows Colorado -375/Nashville +285, with lopsided action on the Avs at 93% bets/90% money.
The total is holding firm at 6.5/Over -131, with 81% of all wagers and 71% of all dollars on the Over.
UPDATE 1:40 P.M. ET THURSDAY: PointsBet USA installed Colorado as a -385 favorite for Game 2 very early Wednesday morning, and the line held there until jumping to -400 at 5 p.m. ET Wednesday. The moneyline has since dialed back to the current price of Avalanche -380/Predators +290. The puckline initially had Colorado (-1.5 goals) at -140. After jumping to -145, it’s now back at the opening number.
The total opened at 6.5 (Over -120) and held there until earlier today, when it first adjusted to 6.5 (Over -125) and now 6.5 (Over -130).
Check back prior to puck drop for additional Predators vs Avalanche odds and action updates.
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