Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche Game 2 Prediction, NHL Playoff Odds
The Colorado Avalanche look to stay undefeated in this year’s NHL playoffs and claim a commanding 2-0 series lead in their second-round matchup with the Central Division rival Minnesota Wild when these clubs hit the ice for Game 2 on Tuesday night at Ball Arena.
The Avalanche drew first blood in the series with Sunday’s entertaining 9-6 victory over the Wild, extending their overall win streak to eight games.
With Sunday’s defeat, the Wild saw the three-game surge that earned them a first-round series win over Dallas end. The loss also extends the club’s recent woes on the road, where they claimed victory in just two of their past seven games.
The Avalanche have emerged as -200 favourites on the Game 2 odds, and have vaulted to short -475 chalk on the NHL series prices. The Wild trail as +165 underdogs Tuesday night, and have faded to a distant +350 bet to rebound and win this series. The total in Game 2 is pegged at 6.5.
Wild vs. Avalanche NHL Betting Odds
Both these squads rediscovered their offensive groove as their respective first-round matchups wound down, and generated plenty of scoring in Sunday’s series opener.
Overall, the Avs have scored 18 total goals over their past three contests after averaging just 2.20 goals per game in their previous five contests, while the Wild have averaged five goals per game over their past three outings, ending a run of seven games that featured just one 4+ goal performance.
Accordingly, the OVER has paid out in each of these club’s past three games, snapping a 6-0 run for the UNDER in the Avs’ past six home dates.
In addition to padding their position on the NHL series prices, Sunday’s win has also bolstered the Avalanche on the NHL futures, where they are now perched as -128 chalk to win the West and +195 second-favourites on the Stanley Cup odds.
Accordingly, the Wild have faded to a +700 wager on the Western Conference futures and to a +1500 bet to win the their first Cup.
Minnesota Wild
The Wild enjoyed the benefit of plenty of secondary scoring in Game 1, with six different shooters bulging the twine. A pair of 23-goal scorers during the regular season made their presence felt. Vladimir Tarasenko extended his current points streak to three games with his second goal in as many games, while Ryan Hartman snapped a five-game scoring drought with his second marker of the postseason.
Matt Boldy also maintained his steady pace with an assist that extends his points streak to five games and give him 10 points so far this spring. However, Kirill Kaprozov has struggled to find the mark. The club’s leading scorer in the regular season, Kaprizov has just one goal in his past six outings but has made up for it with five helpers in four games.
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche faithful held their breath when star rearguard Cale Makar left the game in the first period with an undisclosed injury. But Makar would return in time to power the club’s four-goal surge in the third period with a pair of goals, and also added his first assist of the postseason to seal the win. Makar now leads the club with four goals and has contributed five points during a three-game points streak.
Nathan MacKinnon followed up on his three-point performance that helped clinch the team’s first-round sweep of Los Angeles with a second straight three-point outing, including two points in the final frame. MacKinnon appears to be heating up after a slow start to this year’s NHL playoffs, and with nine points in five appearances against the Wild this season, the product of Cole Harbour should be backed on the NHL player props as a -120 bet to turn in a third straight multi-point performance on Tuesday night.
