Just when you thought things were over for the Blues, this series has life.  Now trailing 3-2 to the Avalanche, St. Louis has a chance to push this Western Conference semifinal to a decisive Game 7 with a win at home in Game 6 on Friday.

Colorado is a -176 favourite to win on the NHL odds, with a total of 6.5.

Avalanche vs. Blues NHL Playoffs Betting Odds

The road warrior trend continued between the Blues and Avs in Game 5.  The visiting team has won eight of the last 10 games, including four straight in this playoff series.  The total has been equally as consistent, with the Over hitting in eight of the last 10 games, including three of five in the postseason.

Despite the setback in Game 5, Colorado is likely still feeling fairly confident as they have won their last five games in St. Louis and have won nine of their last 11 against the Blues overall.  This has been a high scoring team all year, so it’s not surprising to see the total has gone Over in five of their last seven games overall and four of their last five on the road.  The Avs currently sit as -909 favourites to win the series.

It’s do-or-die for the Blues on Friday, although it’s a little concerning to see they’ve dropped five of their last seven home games.  They’re another high scoring team, with the total going Over in their last five games against the Avalanche and 10 of their last 15 home games.  St. Louis is a +496 underdog on the series line.

Colorado Avalanche

A monster performance from Nathan MacKinnon in Game 5 was ultimately squandered as Colorado suffered a rare home loss.  MacKinnon had four points, including a hat trick which was capped off by a highlight reel end-to-end goal.  Those were the first three goals of the series for MacKinnon.  The Nova Scotia native now has 82 career playoff points, the third-most in franchise history.  For this year’s playoff run, MacKinnon (8G-5A) and Cale Makar (3G, 10A) are tied with a team-high 13 points each.  They’re currently the top two favourites to win the Conn Smythe.

Gabriel Landeskog‘s second period goal put the Avs ahead 3-0 on Wednesday, but they were outscored 5-1 through the second half of the game.  Darcy Kuemper made 25 saves on 30 shots.  One thing the Avalanche can count on for Game 6 is solid depth scoring as the team has had eight different skaters score game-winning goals in this year’s playoffs.  Colorado has two more chances to break a three-year streak of being eliminated in the second-round of the playoffs.

St. Louis Blues

Fourth-line centre Tyler Bozak was the overtime hero in Game 5, scoring his second goal of the playoffs just under four minutes into the extra frame.  Robert Thomas had two goals in regulation, while Vladimir Tarasenko and Jordan Kyrou each scored once.  Ville Husso stopped 30 of 34 shots faced.  The Blues rallied late on Wednesday, with Thomas tying the game with 56 seconds left in the third period.  It was the latest game-tying goal ever for St. Louis when facing elimination, according to NHL Stats.  Defenceman Nick Leddy had three assists in the game.

Defenceman Torey Krug has once again been ruled out for Game 6 and head coach Craig Berube said he likely won’t be ready if there is a Game 7.  Krug hasn’t played since Game 3 of the first-round against Minnesota due to a lower-body injury.  The Blues have successfully rallied from a 3-1 series deficit twice in franchise history, against Phoenix in 1999 and Detroit in 1991.

NHL Prediction: Who Will Win Avalanche vs. Blues?

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Avalanche Team Leaders

COL

Points	Mikko Rantanen 92
+ / -	Devon Toews 52
Shots	Nathan MacKinnon 299
Penalty Mins	Kurtis MacDermid 89
Wins	Darcy Kuemper 37
GAA	Darcy Kuemper 2.54

STL

Points	Vladimir Tarasenko 82
+ / -	Justin Faulk 41
Shots	Vladimir Tarasenko 230
Penalty Mins	Niko Mikkola 55
Wins	Ville Husso 25
GAA	Charlie Lindgren 1.22

COL

Points	Cale Makar 29
+ / -	Bowen Byram 15
Shots	Nathan MacKinnon 117
Penalty Mins	Artturi Lehkonen 20
Wins	Darcy Kuemper 10
GAA	Darcy Kuemper 2.57

STL

Points	David Perron 13
+ / -	Colton Parayko 5
Shots	David Perron 42
Penalty Mins	Brayden Schenn 14
Wins	Jordan Binnington 4
GAA	Jordan Binnington 1.72

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Blues Team Leaders

COL

Points	Mikko Rantanen 92
+ / -	Devon Toews 52
Shots	Nathan MacKinnon 299
Penalty Mins	Kurtis MacDermid 89
Wins	Darcy Kuemper 37
GAA	Darcy Kuemper 2.54

STL

Points	Vladimir Tarasenko 82
+ / -	Justin Faulk 41
Shots	Vladimir Tarasenko 230
Penalty Mins	Niko Mikkola 55
Wins	Ville Husso 25
GAA	Charlie Lindgren 1.22

COL

Points	Cale Makar 29
+ / -	Bowen Byram 15
Shots	Nathan MacKinnon 117
Penalty Mins	Artturi Lehkonen 20
Wins	Darcy Kuemper 10
GAA	Darcy Kuemper 2.57

STL

Points	David Perron 13
+ / -	Colton Parayko 5
Shots	David Perron 42
Penalty Mins	Brayden Schenn 14
Wins	Jordan Binnington 4
GAA	Jordan Binnington 1.72

Injuries

Colorado

Valeri Nichushkin (RW)

Ques Sun Lower Body - 26 / 06 / 22

Andre Burakovsky (LW)

Ques Tues Hand - 19 / 06 / 22

Andre Burakovsky (LW)

Prob Wed Lower Body - 12 / 06 / 22

Andrew Cogliano (C)

Prob Sat Hand - 07 / 06 / 22

Andre Burakovsky (LW)

Ques Mon Leg - 02 / 06 / 22

Darcy Kuemper (G)

Ques Mon Upper Body - 31 / 05 / 22

Gabriel Landeskog (LW)

Prob Tues Knee - 30 / 05 / 22

Samuel Girard (D)

out for season Chest - 21 / 05 / 22

Darcy Kuemper (G)

Prob Tues Eye - 07 / 05 / 22

Andrew Cogliano (C)

Prob Tues Upper Body - 04 / 05 / 22

St. Louis

Jordan Binnington (G)

Out indefinitely Knee - 21 / 05 / 22

Marco Scandella (D)

Prob Wed Lower Body - 08 / 05 / 22

Torey Krug (D)

Out indefinitely Lower Body - 07 / 05 / 22

Robert Bortuzzo (D)

Ques Tues Head - 05 / 05 / 22

Nick Leddy (D)

Ques Tues Upper Body - 04 / 05 / 22

Marco Scandella (D)

Ques Fri Lower Body - 27 / 04 / 22

David Perron (LW)

Prob Fri Lower Body - 26 / 04 / 22

Robert Bortuzzo (D)

Prob Fri Undisclosed - 25 / 04 / 22

Torey Krug (D)

Prob Tues Upper Body - 23 / 04 / 22

Brayden Schenn (C)

Prob Mon Upper Body - 23 / 04 / 22

Injuries

Colorado

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Valeri Nichushkin (RW)	Ques Sun	Lower Body - 26 / 06 / 22	0-1	0-1	+ -
Nichushkin is tending to a lower-body injury, and it remains to be seen if he will face the Lighting in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Andre Burakovsky (LW)	Ques Tues	Hand - 19 / 06 / 22	2-2	2-2	+ -
Burakovsky is dealing with a hand injury, and it is unknown if he will play in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Lightning.
Andre Burakovsky (LW)	Prob Wed	Lower Body - 12 / 06 / 22	2-4	4-2	+ -
Burakovsky is battling a lower-back injury, but it is anticipated that he will lace up for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final versus the Lightning.
Andrew Cogliano (C)	Prob Sat	Hand - 07 / 06 / 22	2-4	4-2	+ -
Cogliano is managing a hand injury, but it is likely that he will participate in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final versus the Lightning.
Andre Burakovsky (LW)	Ques Mon	Leg - 02 / 06 / 22	5-4	5-4	+ -
Burakovsky is bothered by right leg injury, and it has yet to be determined if he will face the Oilers in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.
Darcy Kuemper (G)	Ques Mon	Upper Body - 31 / 05 / 22	5-5	5-5	+ -
Kuemper is tending to an upper-body injury, and it has yet to be established if he will suit up for Game 4 of the Western Conference finals versus the Oilers.
Gabriel Landeskog (LW)	Prob Tues	Knee - 30 / 05 / 22	5-5	5-5	+ -
Landeskog is expected to lace up for Game 1 of the Western Conference finals versus the Oilers despite a knee issue.
Samuel Girard (D)	out for season	Chest - 21 / 05 / 22	7-7	8-6	+ -
Girard suffered a fractured sternum and will miss the rest of the 2021-22 season.
Darcy Kuemper (G)	Prob Tues	Eye - 07 / 05 / 22	9-9	10-8	+ -
Kuemper is tending to a eye injury, but it is likely that he will be active for Game 1 of the Western Conference second round versus the Blues.
Andrew Cogliano (C)	Prob Tues	Upper Body - 04 / 05 / 22	10-10	11-9	+ -
Cogliano is managing an upper-body issue, but it is expected that he will be available against the Blues for Game 1 of the Western Conference second round versus the Blues.

St. Louis

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Jordan Binnington (G)	Out indefinitely	Knee - 21 / 05 / 22	2-2	3-1	+ -
Binnington is sidelined with a knee sprain, and there is no timetable for return.
Marco Scandella (D)	Prob Wed	Lower Body - 08 / 05 / 22	6-3	5-4	+ -
Scandella is bothered by a lower-body injury, but it is projected that he will partake in Game 5 of the Western Conference second round against the Avalanche.
Torey Krug (D)	Out indefinitely	Lower Body - 07 / 05 / 22	6-4	6-4	+ -
Krug is hampered by a lower-body injury, and it has yet to be determined when he will return to the lineup.
Robert Bortuzzo (D)	Ques Tues	Head - 05 / 05 / 22	7-4	6-5	+ -
Bortuzzo is dealing with a head injury, and it is unknown if he will be active for Game 5 of the Western Conference first round versus the Wild.
Nick Leddy (D)	Ques Tues	Upper Body - 04 / 05 / 22	7-4	6-5	+ -
Leddy is managing an upper-body injury, and it remains to be seen if he will face the Wild in Game 5 of the Western Conference first round.
Marco Scandella (D)	Ques Fri	Lower Body - 27 / 04 / 22	8-6	9-5	+ -
Scandella is tending to a lower-body injury, and it is unknown if he will suit up for Game 3 of the Western Conference first round versus the Wild.
David Perron (LW)	Prob Fri	Lower Body - 26 / 04 / 22	8-6	9-5	+ -
Perron was held out of the last contest with a lower-body, but it is anticipated that he will face the Golden Knights on Friday.
Robert Bortuzzo (D)	Prob Fri	Undisclosed - 25 / 04 / 22	8-7	10-5	+ -
Bortuzzo missed the previous contest due to an unspecified ailment, but it is likely that he will participate in Friday's showdown with the Golden Knights.
Torey Krug (D)	Prob Tues	Upper Body - 23 / 04 / 22	9-7	10-6	+ -
Krug has sat out the last two games with an upper-body injury, but it is likely that he will partake in Tuesday's matchup against the Avalanche.
Brayden Schenn (C)	Prob Mon	Upper Body - 23 / 04 / 22	9-7	10-6	+ -
Schenn is hampered by an upper-body injury, but it is anticipated that he will be in the lineup versus the Wild for Game 1 of the Western Conference first round.