The Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues will take to the ice for game two in their first round series on Wednesday, after Colorado took game one 4-1 on Monday.
After the Avs carried the play in an intense, chippy game one, they come back as heavy favorites in NHL betting for game two. Can St. Louis steal one away from home?
Here are our best picks and predictions for Blues vs. Avalanche on May 19.
Blues vs Avalanche game info
• Location: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
• Date: Wednesday, May 19, 2021
• Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
• TV: TVAS, BSMW
Blues vs Avalanche odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
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NHL Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonThis moneyline opened large and got much larger, with Colorado starting at -290 and stretching out to -345 at TwinSpires. As of 6:30 p.m. ET, the Avalanche are grabbing 78 percent of bets and 84 percent of money, despite that hefty price. The total is stable at 5.5, with 54 percent of tickets on the Under and 60 percent of cash on the Over.
Check out the full line movement for this gameBlues vs Avalanche series odds
Blues: +750
Avalanche: -1,200
Blues at Avalanche betting preview
Injuries
Blues: Nathan Walker LW (Out), David Perron LW (Out), Jake Walman D (Out), Vince Dunn D (Out), Oscar Sundqvist C (Out).
Avalanche: Erik Johnson D (Out), Matt Calvert LW (Out), Conor Timmins D (Questionable), Logon O'Connor RW (Out), Bowen Byram D (Out), Pavel Francouz G (Out).
Find our latest NHL injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings between the Avalanche and Blues in Colorado. Find more NHL betting trends for Blues vs. Avalanche.
Puckline pick
The Avalanche have had the Blues' number all season long, going 5-3 against their divisional foes and outscoring them 26-21. Colorado's edge carried into game one, with the Avalanche dominating St. Louis everywhere but the scoreboard. The Avs outshot the Blues 50-23, with Colorado's top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen skating circles around St. Louis.
The Avs' top trio combined for eight points, with d-man Cale Makar opening the scoring as well. MacKinnon's three-point night is the latest in a career of dominant postseason performances. Colorado's top center is averaging 2.1 points per game and is a plus-14 over his last 10 playoff games, and just Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux rank ahead of MacKinnon in postseason points per game.
All of Colorado's production came from its top line, but its entire lineup created chances as its depth appeared renewed with the return of Brandon Saad, as well as the playoff debut for former first round pick Alex Newhook.
While the Avs flexed their depth, St. Louis played in wild fashion for a team just a few years removed from a Stanley Cup run. The Blues' lack of control was apparent early, when Brayden Schenn tried to deliver a blow to Rantanen's knee, only for Landeskog to then stand up for his teammate and ragdoll Schenn. Their lack of composure saw just seven shots mustered in the third period despite trailing and culminated in a post-game scuffle.
The Blues did not look ready to play in game one, while the Avs carried the play and their top line looks primed to dominate another series. It's difficult to see Colorado dropping game two at home, and it can cover the puckline again.
PREDICTION: Avalanche -1.5 (-110)
Over/Under pick
Not even a late, emphatic empty netter from MacKinnon could push the game one total Over. While both Colorado and St. Louis have had trends that lean toward Overs as of late, not to mention the Avalanche leading the NHL in goals per game during the regular season, the Under shouldn't have come as a huge surprise.
In nine games between St. Louis and Colorado this season, the two teams have combined for a 3-5-1 O/U record, with the most notable Over coming in an 8-0 hammering the Avs delivered in the second game of the season.
Blues goalie Jordan Binnington did everything he could to keep game one Under the total, making a number of huge saves as Colorado hit him with 50 shots. The Avs aren't going to ease off in game two, but neither will Binnington's stellar postseason play.
On the other end, Philipp Grubauer continued his strong season with 22 saves in game one. For as dynamic as Colorado's attack is, it's just as stout at the back, as it has allowed the third-fewest goals per game and the fewest shots per game in the NHL this year.
Both teams are in the Top-10 in power play success on the year, and the Avs' opening goal in game one came with the man advantage, but the two squads combined for just five power plays in the series opener. St. Louis displayed a lack of discipline wire-to-wire, including after the final buzzer, but the officials were content allowing play to carry on for the most part.
Between the excellent goaltending at both ends and the intensity of playoff hockey, we like this one to go Under.
PREDICTION: Under 5.5 (-115)
Blues vs Avalanche betting card
- Avalanche -1.5 (-110)
- Under 5.5 (-115)
Picks made on 5/18/2021 at 7:20 p.m. ET
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