The Blues and Avalanche both have Cup aspirations for the upcoming season and it all starts when they open the season with St. Louis travelling to Colorado.
Two former Central division powerhouses face off in the newly realigned West Division when the St. Louis Blues head to Denver for a matchup with the Colorado Avalanche.
These teams, both with Cup aspirations, should get to know each other fairly well, as they’ll face off eight times in the shortened 56-game season. The Avalanche are favoured slightly with a total of 5.5 goals.
Blues vs. Avalanche Betting Analysis
These teams are meeting for the first time since Colorado won a 2-1 round robin game in the NHL bubble. St. Louis only managed to pick up two wins in five meetings with the Avs, last season, with Colorado winning the last three games.
As the defending Stanley Cup champions at the time, the Blues had high expectations entering the NHL bubble, but it was a disappointing return to action. After dropping all three of their qualifying games, St. Louis was upset by the Vancouver Canucks, losing the first round series in six games. The Blues left the NHL bubble with just two wins in nine total games.
With higher expectations throughout the season, the Avalanche entered the NHL bubble as one of the top teams in the Western Conference and finished the round robin as the No. 2 seed. After easily bumping the Coyotes from the first round in five games, the Avs fell in the second round for the second straight year, this time reaching overtime in Game 7 against the Dallas Stars.
Colorado has won four of their past six home gams in this series and the over hit in three of the five games between these teams, last season.
St. Louis Blues
This is a very different St. Louis team from last year. Torey Krug was picked up to replace Alex Pietrangelo on the back end, Kyle Clifford was brought in as a veteran with experience and leadership potential and the Blues won the prize of free agency, Mike Hoffman. Krug won’t be able to completely replace Pietrangelo, but he’s as close as it comes. He’s been a consistent 50-point defenceman over the last several years in Boston and adds to an already dangerous St. Louis power play. Clifford is a dependable veteran presence who brings a Stanley Cup pedigree and can be a voice of calm in the locker room. With Vladimir Tarasenko still out with a serious shoulder injury, Hoffman fills the role of elite sniper and is a 30-goal scorer. When Tarasenko returns, the duo creates has the chance to create one of the best offensive one-two punches in the league.
Colorado Avalanche
Already with one of the best core groups in hockey, Colorado focused on filling out depth roles in the off-season. Defensively, Devon Toews is an upgrade from Nikita Zadorov and with 28 points last year, he has a bit of an offensive upside. Brandon Saad was Colorado’s steal of a deal in the off-season. Saad has hit the 20 goal mark in five of his last seven seasons and was a 30 goal scorer in Columbus, providing the Avs with some needed secondary scoring. After a great showing at the World Junior Championship, rookie defenceman Bowen Byram is going to get every chance to stick with this team. He scored 52 points in 50 WHL games, last year, and he looks ready to make the jump to the NHL.
Who Will Win Blues vs. Avalanche?
Line History
Sports Interaction customers are placing their bets on:
time | fav | line | total |
---|---|---|---|
Opening 12 Jan 5:06pm | STL | -1.5 +203 | O +5.5 -125 |
Closing 14 Jan 3:45am | STL | -1.5 +169 | O +6 -110 |
- Regular Season
Blues Team Leaders
- Regular Season
Blues Team Leaders
Points |
4 |
+ / - |
4 |
Shots |
13 |
Penalty Mins |
6 |
Wins |
2 |
GAA |
2.67 |
Points |
7 |
+ / - |
2 |
Shots |
20 |
Penalty Mins |
8 |
Wins |
3 |
GAA |
2 |
- Regular Season
Avalanche Team Leaders
- Regular Season
Avalanche Team Leaders
Points |
4 |
+ / - |
4 |
Shots |
13 |
Penalty Mins |
6 |
Wins |
2 |
GAA |
2.67 |
Points |
7 |
+ / - |
2 |
Shots |
20 |
Penalty Mins |
8 |
Wins |
3 |
GAA |
2 |
Injuries
Marco Scandella (D)
Robert Bortuzzo (D)
Sammy Blais (LW)
Mike Hoffman (LW)
Alexander Steen (LW)
Vladimir Tarasenko (RW)
Andre Burakovsky (LW)
Pavel Francouz (G)
Devon Toews (D)
Erik Johnson (D)
Bowen Byram (D)
Injuries
player (position) | status | ats*current | o/u* | notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Marco Scandella (D) | Ques Sat | Undisclosed - 20 / 01 / 21 | 0-2 | 1-1 | + - |
Scandella sat out the previous contest due to an undefined injury, and it is unknown if he will lace up Saturday versus the Sharks. |
|||||
Robert Bortuzzo (D) | Out indefinitely | Upper Body - 19 / 01 / 21 | 0-3 | 2-1 | + - |
Bortuzzo will be on the injured reserve list for an undetermined length of time due to an upper-body injury. |
|||||
Sammy Blais (LW) | Elig Wed | Suspension - 14 / 01 / 21 | - | - | + - |
Blais is serving a two-game suspension for an illegal check. He is eligible to return Wednesday versus the Sharks. |
|||||
Mike Hoffman (LW) | Prob Fri | Personal - 13 / 01 / 21 | - | - | + - |
Hoffman sat out the last game dealing with a visa issue, but he is expected to lace up on Friday versus the Avalanche. |
|||||
Alexander Steen (LW) | Out indefinitely | Undisclosed - 05 / 12 / 20 | - | - | + - |
Steen is sidelined with an unspecified injury, and he will miss an undetermined length of time. |
|||||
Vladimir Tarasenko (RW) | Early March | Shoulder - 05 / 10 / 20 | - | - | + - |
Tarasenko is expected to be out of commission until at least the beginning of March after having left shoulder surgery, and he has landed on the long-term injured reserve list. |
player (position) | status | ats*current | o/u* | notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Andre Burakovsky (LW) | Ques Sun | Upper Body - 19 / 01 / 21 | 1-3 | 2-2 | + - |
Burakovsky has been held out of the previous three games with an upper-body injury, and it is unknown if he will play Sunday versus the Ducks. |
|||||
Pavel Francouz (G) | Ques Sun | Lower Body - 19 / 01 / 21 | 1-3 | 2-2 | + - |
Francouz has sat out the last three games due to a lower-body injury, and it remains to be seen if he will be available against the Ducks on Sunday. |
|||||
Devon Toews (D) | Ques Fri | Concussion - 14 / 01 / 21 | - | - | + - |
Toews exited the previous game to be evaluated for a concussion, and it is unknown if he will be available against the Blues on Friday. |
|||||
Erik Johnson (D) | Prob Tues | Illness - 13 / 01 / 21 | - | - | + - |
Johnson has been activated from the COVID-19 list, and he is expected to make his season debut against the Kings on Tuesday. |
|||||
Bowen Byram (D) | Out Wed | Illness - 07 / 01 / 21 | - | - | + - |
Byram is going through the COVID-19 protocol, and he will not be available for the season opener against the Blues. |
-
ST. LOUIS BLUES
1 -
COLORADO AVALANCHE
5
Score
Prediction
-
Line History
Sports Interaction customers are placing their bets on:
time fav line total Opening 12 Jan 5:06pm STL -1.5 +203 O +5.5 -125 Closing 14 Jan 3:45am STL -1.5 +169 O +6 -110 -
- Regular Season
Blues Team Leaders
- Regular Season
Blues Team Leaders
Points 4
+ / - 4
Shots 13
Penalty Mins 6
Wins 2
GAA 2.67
Points 7
+ / - 2
Shots 20
Penalty Mins 8
Wins 3
GAA 2
-
- Regular Season
Avalanche Team Leaders
- Regular Season
Avalanche Team Leaders
Points 4
+ / - 4
Shots 13
Penalty Mins 6
Wins 2
GAA 2.67
Points 7
+ / - 2
Shots 20
Penalty Mins 8
Wins 3
GAA 2
-
Injuries
Marco Scandella (D)
Ques Sat Undisclosed - 20 / 01 / 21Robert Bortuzzo (D)
Out indefinitely Upper Body - 19 / 01 / 21Sammy Blais (LW)
Elig Wed Suspension - 14 / 01 / 21Mike Hoffman (LW)
Prob Fri Personal - 13 / 01 / 21Alexander Steen (LW)
Out indefinitely Undisclosed - 05 / 12 / 20Vladimir Tarasenko (RW)
Early March Shoulder - 05 / 10 / 20Andre Burakovsky (LW)
Ques Sun Upper Body - 19 / 01 / 21Pavel Francouz (G)
Ques Sun Lower Body - 19 / 01 / 21Devon Toews (D)
Ques Fri Concussion - 14 / 01 / 21Erik Johnson (D)
Prob Tues Illness - 13 / 01 / 21Bowen Byram (D)
Out Wed Illness - 07 / 01 / 21Injuries
player (position) status ats*current o/u* notes Marco Scandella (D) Ques Sat Undisclosed - 20 / 01 / 21 0-2 1-1 + - Scandella sat out the previous contest due to an undefined injury, and it is unknown if he will lace up Saturday versus the Sharks.
Robert Bortuzzo (D) Out indefinitely Upper Body - 19 / 01 / 21 0-3 2-1 + - Bortuzzo will be on the injured reserve list for an undetermined length of time due to an upper-body injury.
Sammy Blais (LW) Elig Wed Suspension - 14 / 01 / 21 - - + - Blais is serving a two-game suspension for an illegal check. He is eligible to return Wednesday versus the Sharks.
Mike Hoffman (LW) Prob Fri Personal - 13 / 01 / 21 - - + - Hoffman sat out the last game dealing with a visa issue, but he is expected to lace up on Friday versus the Avalanche.
Alexander Steen (LW) Out indefinitely Undisclosed - 05 / 12 / 20 - - + - Steen is sidelined with an unspecified injury, and he will miss an undetermined length of time.
Vladimir Tarasenko (RW) Early March Shoulder - 05 / 10 / 20 - - + - Tarasenko is expected to be out of commission until at least the beginning of March after having left shoulder surgery, and he has landed on the long-term injured reserve list.
player (position) status ats*current o/u* notes Andre Burakovsky (LW) Ques Sun Upper Body - 19 / 01 / 21 1-3 2-2 + - Burakovsky has been held out of the previous three games with an upper-body injury, and it is unknown if he will play Sunday versus the Ducks.
Pavel Francouz (G) Ques Sun Lower Body - 19 / 01 / 21 1-3 2-2 + - Francouz has sat out the last three games due to a lower-body injury, and it remains to be seen if he will be available against the Ducks on Sunday.
Devon Toews (D) Ques Fri Concussion - 14 / 01 / 21 - - + - Toews exited the previous game to be evaluated for a concussion, and it is unknown if he will be available against the Blues on Friday.
Erik Johnson (D) Prob Tues Illness - 13 / 01 / 21 - - + - Johnson has been activated from the COVID-19 list, and he is expected to make his season debut against the Kings on Tuesday.
Bowen Byram (D) Out Wed Illness - 07 / 01 / 21 - - + - Byram is going through the COVID-19 protocol, and he will not be available for the season opener against the Blues.