The Colorado Avalanche travel to meet the Seattle Kraken for Game 3 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals, as the series shifts to Seattle on Saturday night.
The Kraken surprised the defending champion Avalanche in Game 1, winning the first postseason game in franchise history.
The Avalanche returned the favor with a gritty 3-2 win in Game 2 at Ball Arena, showing their championship mettle, avoiding an ugly 0-2 series hole in the process.
Will the Avalanche be able to spoil the party in Game 3 in the Emerald City, or will the Kraken set another franchise first with a win in their first-ever home playoff game? We’ll discuss in our NHL betting picks for Avalanche vs. Kraken on Saturday, April 22.
Avalanche vs Kraken Game 3 odds
Avalanche vs Kraken series odds
| Team | To win | Win in 4 | Win in 5 | Win in 6 | Win in 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avalanche | -280 | N/A | +300 | +270 | +300 |
| Kraken | +220 | N/A | +1,300 | +650 | +650 |
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook as of April 22, 2023.
Avalanche vs Kraken Game 3 predictions
The Avalanche hit the road for the first time in these playoffs. Last season, Colorado posted nine victories in 10 postseason road games en route to the Stanley Cup, including a championship-clinching win in Tampa on June 26 in Game 6 against the Lightning.
Colorado will look to tap into its experience from a long playoff run last season. While it’s now Alexandar Georgiev, not Darcy Kuemper, who will be in the crease, that doesn’t much matter. The Bulgarian goalie has played tremendously well in his first real postseason action as a starter.
Georgiev won 40 regular-season games and secured his first-career NHL playoff win in Game 2, kicking aside 27 of the 29 shots he faced.
Former Colorado backstop Philipp Grubauer was exposed in the expansion draft, and the Avs probably never thought they’d see him in the opposite crease in the postseason. Grubauer has been hot lately, allowing just four goals on 76 shots in the playoffs, good for a 2.03 GAA and .947 SV%. He’s also allowed three or fewer goals in each of his past six starts and seven appearances dating back to March 27.
Both of these tendies have played well in the playoffs so far, and it helps that both sides have had dismal showings on the power play. Obviously, the strong play in nets has helped that. Seattle is 0-for-5 on the man advantage so far, while Colorado is 0-for-4. There hasn’t been an easy goal yet, and just because of the change of venue, don’t expect to suddenly see fire-wagon hockey.
Both goalies have had it on lockdown through the first two games, the power plays are struggling, and the Under is the best play on the board in Game 3.
My best bet: Under 6 (-113 at BetRivers)
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Avalanche vs Kraken Game 3 moneyline analysis
The Avalanche struck for the 3-2 win in Game 2, cashing as a huge favorite at home. Colorado is actually a lot more reasonably priced for Game 3, a moderate favorite as low as -150 to -155 at most shops.
Colorado has won 38 of the past 51 games on the road, which is good for a .745 winning percentage. And Seattle was a much better team away from the Pacific Northwest than at home. In fact, the Kraken was just 20-17-4 on home ice, while going an impressive 26-11-4 on the road.
The Avalanche were a much better road team, too, going 29-11-1 during the regular season. The road team has won four of the past five games in this series, too.
While the Kraken look to be in good shape in Game 3, getting the champs on home ice in front of a raucous crowd, for whatever reason, the road team seems to excel when these teams meet. Game 3 will be no exception, and Colorado will seize home-ice advantage back.
Avalanche vs Kraken Game 3 Over/Under analysis
The Under is the best play in Game 3. The total has gone low in six consecutive meetings between these teams, with the Avalanche cashing the Under at a 3-1-1 clip in the past five games overall.
The Under has hit in five in a row for the Kraken dating back to the regular season, while going 4-1 in the past five games when playing on a day of rest.
In addition, the Under is 19-6-1 in the past 26 Kraken games against a team with a winning percentage of .600 or greater.
In the past six in this series, the results have been nearly identical, as there has been a total of just 27 goals, or 4.5 goals per contest. Oddly enough, six of the past seven in the series have been one-goal games, too, as the teams are surprisingly evenly matched.
Look for the Under yet again in another knockdown, drag-out fight.
Avalanche vs Kraken betting trend to know
The Under has cashed in six straight meetings in this series, while the Avalanche has cashed the Under at a 3-1-1 clip across the past five games overall. Find more NHL betting trends for Avalanche vs Kraken.
Avalanche vs Kraken Game 3 game info
| Location: | Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA |
| Date: | Saturday, April 22, 2023 |
| Puck drop: | 10:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | TBS |
