If you are new to same-game parlays, the idea is simple: you stack several bets from one game into a single ticket, and every leg has to hit to cash. Friday night’s Pittsburgh Penguins at Colorado Avalanche game (9:00 PM ET at Ball Arena) is a friendly place to learn, because the favorite is clear and the legs follow a story you can explain in one sentence: Colorado is the better team at home, and Nathan MacKinnon is the engine.

The three-leg parlay here is Avalanche moneyline, Nathan MacKinnon to record a point, and the game total going over 6.5 goals. Prices move through the day and differ from book to book, so treat the numbers below as a snapshot and check your own sportsbook before you bet.

Leg 1: Avalanche Moneyline

A moneyline bet just means picking who wins the game. Colorado is a heavy favorite on most boards, around -194 to -218 depending on the book, with Pittsburgh priced near +190. That price implies the Avalanche win roughly two out of every three times, and the Dimers model lands in the same neighborhood at about 64 percent.

The Avalanche are 4-2-1 and have been the stronger team at home, 2-1-1 at Ball Arena, while the Penguins are 3-3-1 and 1-2-1 on the road. Colorado is scoring 4.43 goals per game compared with 3.43 for Pittsburgh, and the Avalanche are also outshooting opponents, 30.6 shots for to 25.1 against. If you want a little more payout for taking on more risk, the Avalanche puck line (-1.5 goals) is available at around +120, but it requires a win by two or more, so a beginner is usually better off with the plain moneyline.

Leg 2: Nathan MacKinnon to Record a Point

A points prop is one of the most beginner-friendly bets in hockey: MacKinnon needs a goal or an assist, and either counts. He has 5 goals through the first seven games, with 7 assists (12 points on ESPN’s tally), and is averaging about 1.71 points per game this season. He recorded a point in five of his last seven games, including a three-point night on October 8 and two-point games on October 10 and October 13.

The price for a point is heavy, in the range of -500 or shorter at some books, so you are paying for safety here rather than a big payout. That is exactly why it works as a parlay leg: it adds a high-probability piece without much extra risk. Because the same shot, same game, and same player are all tied together, books will often shave the combined payout, so check how the ticket is priced before you place it. If you want to learn how odds like this work, our betting calculator shows how each leg changes your payout.

Leg 3: Game Total Over 6.5 Goals

The total is the combined number of goals both teams score. Books have this game at 6.5, with the over generally priced between -115 and -122, so it is close to a coin flip with a small tax. The case for the over is built on two things: Colorado’s offense, and the goalies.

Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood has a .879 save percentage and a 3.04 goals-against average, and Pittsburgh’s likely starter Arturs Silovs sits at .885 and 2.72. Neither number is lights-out, and Colorado games have already been loose, with the Avalanche allowing 3.00 goals per game and Pittsburgh also allowing 3.00. If Colorado scores four, as its season average suggests, Pittsburgh only needs to add three for the over to land. Both teams to score is also priced as a heavy favorite on the board, which fits a game with this much scoring on offense. Goalies are not confirmed until closer to puck drop, so look at the lineup news before you lock this one in. You can compare current lines on our live NHL odds page.

The Full Parlay

Putting it together, the ticket is Avalanche moneyline, MacKinnon to record a point, and over 6.5 total goals. Each leg tells the same story: Colorado wins at home, MacKinnon produces, and the game has enough offense to clear 6.5. Because the legs are correlated, sportsbooks adjust the combined price, so the final payout will vary by book and is not a simple multiplication of the individual odds. Check your app for the exact number on the slip.

The trade-off to remember is that every leg has to hit. The moneyline and the points prop are both high-probability, but the over is much closer to a coin flip, and it is the leg most likely to sink the ticket. If you want a lower-risk version, drop the total and keep it to a two-leg parlay. Whatever you pick, bet an amount you are comfortable losing, and read our responsible gambling guide if you ever want to set limits.