Colorado Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild Game 4 Prediction, NHL Playoff Odds

The Minnesota Wild aim to build on a decisive 5-1 victory in Game 3 when they return to action on Monday night in Game 4 of their second-round NHL playoff series with the Colorado Avalanche at Grand Casino Arena.

The Wild avoided getting pushed to the brink of elimination with their Game 3 victory, but still trail in the series by a 2-1 margin.

For the Avalanche, Saturday’s defeat snapped an impressive nine-game win streak and marked the first time they have been held to one or fewer goals in a game in almost two months.

The Avalanche get set to hit the ice as -142 favourites on the Game 4 odds, and have dipped to -400 chalk on the NHL series prices. The Wild trail as +118 underdogs in Game 4, but have improved to a +310 bet to eventually win this series. The total in Game 3 is pegged at 6.5.

Avalanche vs. Wild NHL Betting Odds

A fast start and a dominant performance on the power play proved to be the difference as the Wild rolled to a lopsided 5-1 win in Game 3 despite getting outshot by a wide 36-26 margin.

That marked the third time in four games that Minnesota has potted 4+ goals, but with the total getting consistently set at 6.5 in this series, NHL bettors taking the UNDER enjoyed a payout, snapping a 4-0 run for the OVER in each of these club’s past four games.

The victory also extended the Wild’s recent strong performance on home ice, where they have won seven of eight overall, and topped the Avs in three of four meetings since January.

In addition to snapping a nine-game overall win streak, Saturday’s loss put the brakes on an impressive 10-game win streak on the road, and marks just the third time this season that Colorado has allowed five goals twice over a three-game stretch.

Despite the loss, the Avalanche remain perched as a heavy -142 chalk on the Western Conference odds and +180 second favourites on the Stanley Cup odds. The Wild have improved slightly to a +700 wager to win the West, but remain a +1600 longshot on the Stanley Cup futures.

Colorado Avalanche

Saturday’s loss marked the first time in 22 games that the Avalanche have been held to a single goal. This club has regularly struggled to produce consistent offence in recent weeks, scoring three of fewer goals 11 times over their past 15 contests, but appeared to have broken through after seeing an NHL-record 12 different players score over the first two games of this series.

Scott Wedgewood’s struggles to stop the puck in Game 3 resulted in him getting pulled early in the second period, but the veteran netminder is expected to be back between the pipes on Monday.

Nathan MacKinnon gave Colorado fans something to cheer about with the club’s only goal midway through the second stanza. MacKinnon has bolstered the Avs attack in this series, scoring five goals during a four-game scoring streak and has added five helpers over that stretch.

However, the duo of Martin Necas and Nazem Kadri have continued to struggle, generating just two total goals so far in the postseason.

Minnesota Wild

The Wild needed a big performance to get back into this series and that is exactly what they got in Game 3 from their leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov, who scored the first goal of the game and set up the next two in Saturday’s win.

Kaprizov has now tallied two markers and three helpers in the series, but still needs to work on his consistency at home, where he hasn’t cracked the scoresheet in consecutive appearances since mid-March.

Quinn Hughes bounced back from just his second pointless night of the postseason with the game-winning goal and an assist, and has compiled six points in four home playoff appearances.

Matt Boldy also picked up his first goal of the series and has piled up seven goals and three helpers during a six-game points streak on home ice.