In what is possibly the best matchup of the night, the two top teams in the West meet as the Calgary Flames visit the Colorado Avalanche.
The Avs have held on to the top spot in the conference for the majority of the season, but the Flames come in having won 14 of their 17 games and might be Colorado’s biggest threat in the West.
Can the Avalanche rebound after a loss to the Coyotes as -375 favorites? Is Calgary ready to contend in the conference? Find out in our free NHL picks and predictions for Flames vs. Avalanche.
Flames vs Avalanche odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
The Avalanche opened as -150 favorites and has since moved to -155 with a total of 6.5 which leans to the Over. These teams have not met since 2019.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right until puck drop and be sure to check out the full NHL odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
Flames vs Avalanche predictions
Predictions made on 3/5/2022 at 2:00 p.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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Flames vs Avalanche game info
• Location: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
• Date: Saturday, March 5, 2022
• Puck drop: 10:00 p.m. ET
• TV: Sportsnet, CBC, Altitude
Flames vs Avalanche betting preview
Key injuries
Flames: None.
Avalanche: Valeri Nichushkin F (Questionable).
Find our latest NHL injury reports.
Flames vs Avalanche head-to-head record since 2018-19
Flames: 4-6 SU, 32 goals for.
Avalanche: 6-4 SU, 37 goals for.
Betting trend to know
The Flames are 5-0 SU in their last five games vs. Central. Find more NHL betting trends for Flames vs. Avalanche.
Flames vs Avalanche picks and predictions
Our side and total predictions are based upon our analysis of the line and total in this game. Our best bet is our favorite pick across all markets.
Moneyline analysis
The Flames and Avs meet tonight in Colorado in what will be a battle of the two top teams in the West and two divisional leaders.
The Avalanche are still the betting favorites to win the Cup (+350) but Darryl Sutter’s Flames have the best point percentage since February 1 and have the highest-scoring offense at 4.46 goals per game. Colorado has been the best team in hockey all season but Calgary is pouring it on of late and is making some noise.
The Avalanche are -155 home favorites, which is the third-shortest they’ve been at home all season. The Avs were even -165 favorites at home vs. the Maple Leafs in January. Calgary is a legit team right now and comes into this game in better form since February 1 with an 11-2 SU mark compared to Colorado’s 8-4 SU record.
Everything is going well for the Flames minus their recent 5-4 OT loss to the Canadiens. Even in that game, the Flames scored in the final minute to steal a point. This is the hottest offense in hockey which has scored three or more goals in 11 of its last 13 games, while Colorado ranks 15th in goals per game over the last 30 days.
The last change won’t mean too much for the Avs as the Flames are rolling three solid lines right now thanks to the addition of Tyler Toffoli from the Habs. There are very few holes in the Calgary game right now and the Flames might be hungrier than the Avs, who are coming off their second loss to the Coyotes in their last 12 games.
The Avalanche’s offense has slowed down of late and that’s not a great thing as they will face Jacob Markstrom, who leads the league in shutouts and is 9-1-1 over his last 11 games with a 2.21 GAA.
The Flames will likely see Darcy Kuemper in net Saturday night. The netminder has found his way after a difficult October and November but has given up 13 goals over his last four starts. The Flames have a slight edge in net tonight.
The Flames are 3-3 SU in their last six games as +130 favorites or more and with the way they’ve been playing over the last 30 days, we value the Flames as +100 dogs on neutral ice. This game is going to be a battle and we’re riding the plus-money is a game that could easily be decided by one goal.
Prediction: Flames moneyline (+135)
Over/Under analysis
The Flames are 10-4-4 O/U in their last 18 games and are seeing an average of 6.55 total goals per game. On the road this season, they are also giving up more goals, as their 2.73 GAA on the road is much different from their league-leading 2.13 GAA at home. Only two other teams in the NHL are currently scoring more home goals per game than the Avalanche.
This total is starting to creep up as well as it opened -105 to the Over and currently sits at -115. It makes sense as these are two of the highest-scoring teams in 2022 and despite this game possibly having a playoff atmosphere, both teams are loaded offensively and if one team jumps out to an early lead, things could really open up which could create a ton of scoring opportunities.
Markstrom is the No. 2 betting favorite for the Vezina but on the road, he hasn’t been as dominant. A lot of that has to do with the Flames’ road PK, as 13 of his 46 goals allowed on the road have come shorthanded.
The Avalanche power play isn’t in top form right now but it’s only a matter of time before it gets going. With this possibly being a physical game with each team wanting to assert their dominance, we could see plenty of penalties tonight. Both teams sit in the Top 11 in penalties taken per game.
With both teams sporting scoring on all three offensive lines, it will be tough for either team to play the shut-down game. If Calgary tries to eliminate the Nathan MacKinnon line, they could open themselves to the second or third lines, and with Valeri Nichushkin likely drawing back in, the Colorado offense becomes even more dangerous. The same can be said for the Avs trying to shut down the Tkachuk-Lindholm-Gaudreau line.
Calgary has shown that they don’t need to play 2-1 games in order to win and now have an offense that can compete with any team in the league. Both teams have the guns to erase two-goal leads, and we could see both clubs hitting the three-goal mark in this one.
Prediction: Over 6.5 (-115)
Best bet
With a high total and two teams who can role three lines offensively, narrowing the sights down on a single prop is tough, especially with two teams that have yet to meet this season. We still like goals and will go with the market flow for our best bet.
Markstrom is not as strong on the road and Calgary has the league’s best offense over the last 30 days. Neither team can play the match-up game well because of each teams' depth, and the Avs have no problem with getting the blue line involved. Calgary is coming off a 5-4 OT loss where they showed some defensive flaws, but the offense still managed to steal a point.
We want goals in this marquee game, please.
Pick: Over 6.5 (-115)
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