The Colorado Avalanche are 34-18-4 and third in the Western Conference, whereas the Vancouver Canucks are 37-14-6 and 1st in the Pacific Conference. The Canucks will host the Avalance at Ball Arena today at 9 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+, SNP and ALT.
Colorado clinched a narrow 4-3 home victory against the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday. Meanwhile, Vancouver is coming off a 10-7 defeat on the road against the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.
Vancouver Canucks vs. Colorado Avalanche: Game preview
Colorado boasts an impressive average of 3.70 goals per game, converting on 23.8% of their power play chances.
The team's top scorer is Nathan MacKinnon, with 33 goals and 58 assists. Mikko Rantanen comes a close second with 29 goals and 41 assists, while Cale Makar is third with 13 goals and 47 assists.
Alexander Georgiev has a solid 29-13-3 record in goal, accompanied by a 2.94 goals-against average and a .898 save percentage.
Conversely, the Canucks have a 3.72 GFA with a solid 2.70 GAA. Their power play success rate stands at 23.2%.
Brock Boeser leads the team with 31 goals and 25 assists. He is supported by Quinn Hughes's impressive 56 assists and Elias Pettersson's 29 goals and 44 assists.
Moreover, Thatcher Demko boasts a remarkable 30-10-1 record in goal, with a 2.45 GAA and a .918 SV%.
Vancouver Canucks vs. Colorado Avalanche: Head-to-head and significant numbers
- The two teams have faced off 183 times, regular season and playoffs combined.
- The Canucks have an overall record of 80-82-15-6 against the Avalanche.
- In faceoffs, the Canucks have a 50.5% win rate, while the Avalanche have a 48.1%.
- On penalty kills, the Canucks boast a 78.3% success rate, while the Avalanche are at 81.6%.
Vancouver Canucks vs. Colorado Avalanche: Odds and prediction
Colorado has showcased its dominance as favorites this season, recording 31 wins in 47 games. Among those victories, the Avalanche have prevailed in 23 out of 34 games with odds shorter than -146. This indicates they have a promising 59.3% chance of winning this game.
On the other hand, Vancouver has managed to defy the odds in 14 out of 22 games where it's been labeled as underdogs this season. Additionally, the Canucks hold a 5-3 record in games where odds list them at +123 or longer. This means they have a 44.8% chance of victory in this game.
Prediction: Canucks 5 - 4 Avalanche
Vancouver Canucks vs. Colorado Avalanche: Betting tips
Tip 1: Result: Canucks to win.
Tip 2: Total goals over 5: Yes.
Tip 3: Elias Pettersson to score anytime: Yes.
Tip 4: Nathan MacKinnon to score first: Yes.
Tip 5: Avalanche to beat the spread: Yes.