The St. Louis Blues (32-31-12) and Colorado Avalanche (50-15-10) will face off Sunday evening. Puck drop is set for 9:30 p.m. EDT at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
The Avalanche are priced at +120 to cover the puck-line (-1.5), with the over/under set at 6 (-110o/-110u). The Avalanche are a -220 favorite to win outright, while the Blues are +180 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Blues vs. Avalanche predictions and NHL picks.
Blues vs. Avalanche Odds, Pick
| Blues Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -127 | 6.5 -102o / -115u | +192 |
| Avalanche Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +105 | 6.5 -102o / -115u | -235 |
- Blues vs. Avalanche Spread: Avalanche -1.5 (+120), Blues +1.5 (-140)
- Blues vs. Avalanche Over/Under: 6 (-110o/-110u)
- Blues vs. Avalanche Moneyline: Blues +180, Avalanche -220
Blues vs. Avalanche Preview
St. Louis Blues
The Blues have quietly played to a league-leading .750 points percentage since the Olympic Break, with a record of 12-3-3 in 18 games since the restart. The most obvious difference in their recent form relative to the majority of the campaign is that Joel Hofer and Jordan Binnington have combined for a .933 save percentage since the break, which is the best save percentage in the league in that span by a significant margin.
The Blues' recent underlying results have also improved, though, as they hold a 53.13% expected goal share at even strength since the restart. They have benefited from a fairly soft schedule, but a 2.47 xGA/60 rating suggests that they have cleaned things up defensively, which obviously correlates with the actual results.
Having Robert Thomas in the lineup for the majority of their recent matchups has also been significant, as Thomas has put up 20 points over the last 15 games. Dylan Holloway has also looked more like the skater we saw in 2024-25, as he has put up 20 points in 15 games following the Olympic Break.
The Blues will have a rest advantage in this matchup, as they have been off since Friday's win in Anaheim, while the Avalanche will be playing the second leg of a traveling back-to-back. Pavel Buchnevich is listed as day-to-day but seems likely to return after his absence from Friday's matchup was deemed to be for maintenance.
St. Louis has not announced if it will be Hofer or Binnington getting the start at the time of writing, but it would be more logical for it to be Hofer. Binnington has been in much better form of late than he has been throughout the majority of the season, but even amid a better stretch of play from Binnington, Hofer has outperformed him with a .945 save percentage throughout his last nine starts.
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche essentially secured the Central Division with a 2-0 win in Dallas Saturday afternoon, offering a strong performance in an ideal playoff tune-up. While playing without top defender Cale Makar, Colorado allowed only 17 shots on goal and seven high-danger scoring chances at even strength.
Since January 1st, the Avalanche have played to a record of 20-13-3 and rank 12th in points percentage in that span. However, it did seem logical to conclude that perhaps a level of complacency had set in throughout the second half and that perhaps their reduced level of dominance was not a true indicator that they are anything but the best team in hockey.
With seven games left to play, Colorado now needs just two points to clinch the division. While it will obviously strive to stay sharp, the main goal now will be to arrive in the postseason as healthy and rested as possible.
Makar was technically only ruled out for two games after suffering an upper-body injury on Monday versus the Calgary Flames, but it would be surprising to see him return in Sunday's matchup, given how little motivation there is for the team to rush him back into the lineup.
With Makar sidelined, Sam Malinski slots in on the top pairing and second power play unit. In the first game of Makar's current absence, Malinski recorded three points and skated 20:52, but he was held pointless in yesterday's low-event matchup despite playing 22:52.
Malinski has emerged as one of the more underrated defenders this season, having put up 37 points in 75 games this season and a +13.4 expected goals above replacement rating per EvolvingHockey. He offers strong mobility and is a highly intelligent passer who should continue to fare well in his heightened roles.
As Sunday's slate wraps up most standard fantasy hockey leagues, I'll note that if Malinski happens to be available and you have an add left to be used, he would be a good option to try and grab an extra man game, though in most fairly competitive leagues, he was likely added earlier in the week.
Mackenzie Blackwood is expected to get the start in this matchup. He holds a +3.8 GSAx rating with a .899 save percentage across 34 appearances this season.
Blues vs. Avalanche Prediction
Though the Avalanche made a strong statement towards the fact that they are the best team in hockey on Saturday, this could be a potential letdown spot as they take on a red-hot Blues side, which should offer a higher level of urgency in this matchup. In terms of betting a side, it would certainly be Blues or pass for me, as this does not feel like a good time to lay -220 with Colorado.
Though the Blues' improved defensive play and strong recent goal suppression are concerns, a price of +115 for Malinski to record a point still looks quite strong given his recent form and improved role.
Pick: Sam Malinski Over 0.5 Points +115 (Play to +105)
