Edmonton Oilers vs. Colorado Avalanche Prediction, NHL Odds

Payton Matthews | Updated Jan 16, 2025

A very difficult second of a back-to-back for the Oilers on Thursday as they visit the Avalanche in a potential Western Conference Finals preview.

Edmonton
34-17-3-1
AT
January 16, 2025, 9:30 PM ET
Pepsi Center
Colorado
33-22-1-1
Puckline +1.5 -250
Moneyline +100
Over / Under o +6
Puckline -1.5 +200
Moneyline -120
Over / Under u +6

The Avs are -135 favourites on the NHL odds.

Oilers vs. Avalanche NHL Betting Odds

How entertaining would an Edmonton-Colorado playoff series be with those two high-powered offences? Most likely the only shot they can meet would be in the Western Conference Finals with how the NHL playoff setup is with an emphasis on divisional games in the first two rounds. Neither team may win its respective division but the Oilers are +280 favourites to repeat in the West, and Colorado is +650 to win it for the second time in four seasons. 

Thursday marks the second of three regular-season meetings between the clubs and Edmonton’s final trip to Denver as it will host the Avs on Feb. 7. On Nov. 30, the Oilers were 4-1 winners in the Mile High City behind 27 saves from Stuart Skinner and a goal and assist from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Nikolai Kovalenko (since traded) gave the Avalanche the lead at 7:02 of the first, but then Skinner shut things down. 

Alexandar Georgiev had 28 saves for Colorado, but he has since been traded. In fact, the Avs have remade their goalie room already this season via trades by acquiring both Mackenzie Blackwood from San Jose and Scott Wedgewood from Nashville. 

Colorado is 6-4 in the past 10 meetings, and the over-under is 3-7 (which is a little surprising). 

Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton won its third game in a row Wednesday, 5-3 at Minnesota, despite trailing 2-0 in the first and 3-2 in the second. Connor McDavid was the No. 1 star with two goals and an assist. Those three points jumped McDavid to second all-time in franchise history with 1,044, passing Jari Kurri. McDavid became the fifth player in Oilers history to record nine consecutive 60-point seasons and hit the 60-point mark in 41 games or fewer for the seventh time in his career to pass Bobby Orr, Guy Lafleur and Phil Esposito for the third most in NHL history. Only Wayne Gretzky (15) and Mario Lemieux (11) have more. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and assist for his first multi-point game since Dec. 14. Calvin Pickard was in net for Edmonton’s 18th win in its past 23 games (18-4-1) and fifth multi-goal comeback win of the season (second in the NHL), but it will be Stuart Skinner tonight. He has been a bit worse on the road at 5-4-2 with a 2.86 GAA and .887 SV. The Oilers are 6-0 in their past six on the road against the West. 

Colorado Avalanche

Colorado has alternated wins and losses over its past seven, which may not bode well here with the Avs off a 3-2 overtime home win over the Rangers on Tuesday. Artturi Lehkonen’s 16th goal of the season tied it at 18:47 of the third, and Devon Toews’ sixth of the campaign won it at 4:23 of OT.  It was Toews’ second OT winner of the year and the Avalanche’s 14th comeback victory of the season, tied for third-most in the league. Cale Makar had an assist to reach 50 points for the fifth time in his career, the most 50-point seasons by a defenceman in franchise history. Makar, from Calgary, is only 26. Nathan MacKinnon had two assists and is the first NHL player to reach 70 points this season. He has reached 70 or more points in seven seasons – the fourth most in Avalanche/Nordiques history. Hall of Famer Joe Sakic holds the mark with 14. Trade acquisition Mackenzie Blackwood was in net Tuesday and should be again here. He’s 9-2-1 with a 1.68 GAA and .938 SV since coming over from San Jose. That trade might have won the Avalanche the Stanley Cup if Blackwood keeps it up. Blueliner Samuel Girard (2G, 16A) is questionable. Colorado is 6-1 in its past seven at home. 

NHL Prediction: Who Will Win Oilers vs. Avalanche?

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