Avalanche vs. Bruins Odds & Picks: Betting Value on Colorado? (Feb. 21)
Photo by Glenn James/NHLI via Getty Images. Pictured: Darcy Kuemper (Colorado)
- The Colorado Avalanche have been playing the best hockey in the NHL, and they face the Boston Bruins as road favorites on Monday afternoon.
- The Bruins welcome Patrice Bergeron back to the lineup, but they will remain without Brad Marchand.
- Jonny Lazarus breaks down the matchup and shares his best bet below.
Avalanche vs. Bruins Odds
| Colorado Avalanche | -170 |
| Boston Bruins | +145 |
| Over/Under | 6 (-105 / -115) |
| Time | 1 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN+ |
| Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
The Colorado Avalanche and Boston Bruins last met on January 26th, when Colorado erased a 3-1 deficit in the third period and completed the comeback in overtime on a goal from Cale Makar.
The Bruins got Patrice Bergeron back in their lineup, but they will still be missing their leading scorer, Brad Marchand who is serving a suspension.
Colorado Avalanche Are the NHL's Best Team
The Colorado Avalanche have had a very strong response after their home ice win streak came to an end against the league's worst team, the Arizona Coyotes, on February 1st. Since that loss, the Avs have gone 4-1-0 and have looked like the best team in the NHL.
The Avs might have a couple of games in hand, but as of right now they have the most wins in the NHL with a record of 36-9-4. They sit in first place in the Central Division and are the favorites to win the Stanley Cup at +400 at DraftKings.
Colorado has the second-best offensive ranking in the league with 3.98 goals scored per game. The craziest thing about their impressive play is that Nathan MacKinnon, who is a superstar, is fifth on the team in points. MacKinnon has played in fewer games, but this just goes to show how strong this Colorado roster is. Nazem Kadri is having a career year, currently leading the way with 63 points. The Avs are averaging 35.2 Shots On Goal per game and 11.91 High-Danger Chances for.
The Avs' defensive numbers might not be the best in the league, but they are still very impressive in their own right. They currently rank 12th, allowing 2.8 Goals Against per game on 30.6 Shots Against.
They have gotten incredible goaltending from Darcy Kuemper, who is expected to start this one. Last time these two teams met, Kuemper allowed three goals on 32 shots. This season, he is 25-5-2 with a .921 Save Percentage and a +15.2 Goals Saved Above Expected.
Boston Bruins Struggling to Find Offense
The Boston Bruins usually don't struggle to find goals, but their offense has been a bit lost without their leading scorer, Brad Marchand. The Bruins have only scored seven goals in their last five games, and in that span they have a record of 2-2-1.
The last time these two teams met, the Bruins were the better team and dominated for most of regulation. The Bruins won the Expected Goals battle by a 4.95 – 3.55 count. That being said, the Bruins were outshot 41-32.
Boston will be heavily tested Monday afternoon in their defensive end, but the one thing that the Bruins do have going for them is that they allow the fewest amount of High-Danger Chances Against, holding their opponents to just 9.53 per contest. The Bruins also do an excellent job at limiting their opponents' Shots On Goal. They rank seventh in that department, allowing 29.4 per game.
Jeremy Swayman is the likely starter for this one, and he started the Bruins' last game in Ottawa where he stopped 29 out of 31 shots. Swayman has had a great year as he is 10-7-3 on the year with a .923 Save Percentage and a +9.7 GSAx.
Avalanche vs. Bruins Pick
The Colorado Avalanche are playing incredible hockey right now and the Bruins offense has been somewhat nonexistent. The Bruins will limit Colorado's chances, but without Marchand, they won't keep up with the offensive fire power of the Avs.
Kuemper has been fantastic in the blue paint for Colorado, and he will be able to shut down Boston.
This game will definitely be a close battle, just like it was the last time these two teams met, but I am very confident that the Colorado Avalanche will walk away with two points. I know the Avs are heavy favorites, but I am willing to take the juice on this one. I like Colorado to win outright.
Pick: Colorado Avalanche ML -170 | Play to -185
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