Devils vs. Avalanche Prediction, Betting Odds, and Our Best Bet

The New Jersey Devils will hit the road tonight to take on the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena for a battle of two NHL powerhouses. The Avalanche come in with a 33-24-2 record and as -142 favorites on the moneyline, while the Devils with their 32-21-6 record sit at just +120. So, the bookmakers are thinking this should be a fairly close game and it’s easy to see why.

With both teams battling for playoff positioning, we’re pretty confident that this matchup will be a high-energy contest with plenty of betting opportunities.

Betting Odds and Key Matchup Insights

The Avalanche took the first meeting of the season 4-0, shutting down the Devils’ offense completely back in December.

However, New Jersey has been strong on the road and they’re looking a bit different this time around. They’re currently riding high on a 3-game road win streak. The Devils have also been the higher-scoring team in recent games as they’re averaging 3.6 total goals per game in their last 10, compared to Colorado’s 3.1.

That’s not to say that the Avs can’t beat out the Devils, but it just goes to show that New Jersey is looking a little better as of late.

Both teams have fairly similar season-long numbers—

• Colorado — 3.17 GF/G, 3.02 GA/G
• New Jersey — 3.07 GF/G, 2.46 GA/G

All of that to say, Goaltending could be a major factor.

Jacob Markstrom has been an absolute wall for New Jersey with a 2.20 GAA and a .912 SV%, while Mackenzie Blackwood has posted a decent 2.54 GAA and a .916 SV% for Colorado. We’re expecting both of these netminders to start in their creases as this is going to be an intense game.

Who Has the Edge?

New Jersey has been hot lately. They’ve won 4 of their last 5 which includes a shutout against Nashville and a 3-2 shootout win over Pittsburgh. They might not be the most challenging teams on their schedule, but it goes a long way for their confidence.

Colorado, on the other hand, has lost 3 of their last 4, including a 3-0 shutout loss to Vancouver. They might be struggling right now, but that just means they’re all the hungrier to notch a win and climb out of this slump.

The biggest concern for the Devils is their power play. While New Jersey has converted on 27.9% of power plays which is phenomenal, Colorado’s penalty kill has been just as strong at 79.8%. If the Avalanche can stay disciplined, they could easily neutralize one of New Jersey’s biggest strengths.

On the other side, Nathan MacKinnon and his 87 points and Martin Necas and his 64 points continue to be Colorado’s biggest weapons. As for the Devils, Jack Hughes with 68 points, and Jesper Bratt with 51 assists continue to lead the team’s offense.

Avs vs. Devils Prediction and Best Bet

New Jersey comes in with some decent momentum and a solid road record, however, we can’t overlook the fact that Colorado has the firepower and home-ice advantage.

With Blackwood playing pretty well in the net and MacKinnon leading the attack, we expect the Avalanche to bounce back from their recent struggles and grab the 2 points to solidify their wild card spot a bit more.

• HelloRookie’s Prediction: Avalanche 2, Devils 1
• Best Bet: Avalanche Moneyline (-142)

Colorado won the first matchup convincingly and should be able to control the pace again at home. This game will be a little tighter than the last, so we’re going to leave the puck line bet on the table.

If you’re looking at the total, the UNDER 5.5 (-102) is also a fairly strong play, given both of these netminders are smoking hot coming into tonight’s game.