Colorado Avalanche vs Pittsburgh Penguins Betting Picks

Colorado lost to Dallas in a shootout on Wednesday after scoring two goals in regulation, and it hosts Pittsburgh tonight. Colorado is tied with Edmonton for the league lead at 4.4 goals per game. Those 31 goals in seven games came on 214 shots, a 14.5% shooting rate that ranks third in the league, against 11.5% league-wide. Colorado’s team save percentage is .886, 22nd of 32 teams, against Pittsburgh’s .898. Colorado’s power play has scored five times, four of them in the 8-4 win over Los Angeles, and it has one goal in 20 chances across its other six games. Pittsburgh has killed 17 of the 19 power plays it has faced. Pittsburgh is 3-3-1, and Colorado is 4-2-1. Pittsburgh has scored 24 goals in seven games, tied with Washington for 10th in goals per game, and it has scored three or more in four of the seven, including seven at Philadelphia and six against Montreal. The moneyline on Pittsburgh is drawing a much larger share of the dollars than of the tickets. At these odds, Pittsburgh needs to win about 35% of the time to show a profit. Pittsburgh is the play on the moneyline tonight.

Colorado leads the NHL with 102 points. The Avalanche have been the best team in hockey. But they looked anything but that eight days ago when the road Penguins smashed them, 7-2. It was the worst home loss of the season for the Avalanche and also the most goals they have lost by in a game this season. Fair to say this is Colorado's Revenge Game of the Year. The Avalanche are 2-0 on their road trip so far, beating the Capitals on Sunday and the Blackhawks last Friday. Pittsburgh lost 5-1 to Carolina two days ago. This marks the Penguins' third game in four days. Colorado averages the most goals per game and also gives up the fewest goals per game. Gabriel Landeskog, who had been sidelined with a lower-body injury since March 6, returned to the Avs’ lineup against the Capitals and scored a goal. Landeskog has 15 points in 15 games against the Penguins. But Landeskog isn't Colorado's main threat. Nathan MacKinnon leads the NHL in goals with 45, while ranking third in points with 114. MacKinnon has posted 29 points in 23 games against the Penguins. Take the Avalanche. 

Pittsburgh is on a 2-7 slide despite playing five of the last six at home. The Penguins have a minus-50 goal differential, the worst in the Eastern Conference and second-worst in the league. The defense is 18th in penalty killing, plus 31st in goals surrendered (3.62 per game) and save percentage (.888). Colorado's offense is ninth in goals scored (3.23 per game). They're 18-10-2 at home and play their third straight on home ice after wins over New Jersey (5-1) and Minnesota (5-2). Play Colorado. 

Colorado has won three of four, and looks to wrap a five-game road trip tonight in Pittsburgh. At the end of October, the Avs were missing five players from their top three lines, but Ross Colton, Artturi Lehkonen, and Valeri Nichushkin have returned. They're 9-6-0 on the road after wins at Detroit (2-1) and New Jersey (4-0). Nathan Mackinnon and Cale Makar had five shots on net each against the Devils, with no goals, but the Avalanche's second and third lines did. The offense is 11th in goals scored, sixth on the power play, and 12th in shooting percentage. Pittsburgh is getting outscored by 26 goals, the worst differential in the Eastern Conference. The offense is 21st in goals scored and 24th in shooting percentage, while the defense is last in goals surrendered (3.72 per game) and 27th in save percentage (.890). Play Colorado.