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Sports Interaction Staff
Avalanche vs. Coyotes Game 3 Prediction, Stanley Cup Playoff Odds
It’s a quick turnaround for Game 3 after Andre Burakovsky’s late goal gave the Avalanche a 3-2 win over the Coyotes in Game 2 and a 2-0 series lead.
Game 3 is set to go Saturday at 3 p.m. ET from Rogers Place in the Edmonton hub. The Avalanche are the clear favourite in Game 3, listed at -187 on the NHL odds, with the Coyotes coming in at +156.
Avalanche vs. Coyotes Stanley Cup Odds
Playing on back-to-back days, don’t expect this to be a high scoring affair. The under is 5-0 in the Coyotes last five games playing on no days rest and it is 4-0 in the Avalanche’s last four on no rest. The total for Game 3 is 5.5 with the under listed at -139.
Of note, the Avalanche are 13-1 all-time in playoff series’ after taking a 2-0 lead.
Colorado Avalanche
After managing only 14 shots in Game 1, the Coyotes responded by outshooting the Avalanche 32-28 in Game 2. Though they still haven’t had a lead in the series, the Coyotes responded much better in Game 2, getting goals from Clayton Keller to tie the game in the first period and Michael Grabner to tie it in the second. It wasn’t the otherworldly performance he has posted in every other game since the season restart, but Darcy Kuemper had another solid outing, making 25 saves on 28 shots.
Nick Schmaltz, the Coyotes leading scorer during the regular season, still has yet to play since the season restart, due to a head injury. After suffering an injury before Game 2 of the Nashville qualifier series, Antti Raanta returned as Kuemper’s backup against the ‘Avs.
Arizona Coyotes
The Avalanche finally found a way to break Kuemper early, with goals from Nathan MacKinnon in the first period and Tyson Jost in the second, but the Coyotes answered them each time. It took a late Andre Burakovsky goal in the third period to give the ‘Avs the win. Philipp Grubauer was solid, stopping 30 of 32 shots.
Avalanche fans are watching closely as the injury bug that plagued the team in the regular season may be reappearing. Right wing Joonas Donskoi was deemed unfit to play after taking the warm-up before Game 2 and Centre Vladislav Namestinikov left the second period with an injury. One or two of the Avalanche “Black Aces” replacement players could be on their way to making an appearance in Game 3.
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