The Pittsburgh Penguins (41-18-10) touch down in the Mile High City to face the Colorado Avalanche (48-14-6) Saturday at Ball Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN+). Below, we look at the Penguins vs. Avalanche odds and lines, and make our expert NHL picks, predictions and bets.
The Penguins are inconsistent. They scored 1, 11 and 2 goals in a three-game stretch before dismissing the Minnesota Wild 4-3 on the road in a shootout Thursday. Pittsburgh has won six out of its last 10 games with some quality wins against Minnesota, St. Louis and Carolina mixed in. You just never know with them.
The Avalanche are hurting, but they have so much talent that they’re able to continue rolling. C Nathan MacKinnon has missed some time, now LW Gabriel Landeskog is sidelined and C Nazem Kadri is questionable Saturday with an undisclosed ailment.
- Money line: Penguins +130 (bet $100 to win $130) | Avalanche -160 (bet $160 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Penguins +1.5 (-190) | Avalanche -1.5 (+145)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -105 | U: -120)
Penguins at Avalanche projected goalies
Tristan Jarry (33-14-6, 2.33 GAA, .921 SV%, 4 SO) vs. Darcy Kuemper (31-9-3, 2.37 GAA, .924 SV%, 5 SO)
Jarry was great in March outside of a 5-goal outing against the New York Rangers on the 25th. He was 7-3-0 with a 2.32 GAA and a .923 SV% and allowed more than 3 goals in just two of those 10 starts. He’ll need to be great to pull off the victory in this one.
Kuemper has been just as good of late. He was 5-3-1 with a 2.05 GAA and a .940 SV% in March. The netminder allowed more than three goals just once in 10 starts last month. He’s fresh, too, as he has been off since Tuesday.
Penguins at Avalanche odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Penguins 4, Avalanche 3
Money line
The Avalanche have been vulnerable a lot lately, but they have managed to grind it out late in games for victories. If Kadri is out, that’s a different story. Look for Pittsburgh to rise to the occasion here for a playoff-esque road victory, and it may require extra time to do it. Take the PENGUINS (+130).
Against the spread
The Pens are 20-15 on the puck line on the road this season, but we can’t toss nearly two times our return here for just a little insurance. There’s no value here. PASS.
Over/Under
We mentioned that Colorado hasn’t been the same lately and its 2-8 O/U record over its last 10 is sheer evidence of that. Three of the last four meetings (none this year) have gone Over. The Over is 6-1-1 in the Avs’ last eight against the East. Pittsburgh has gone Over in four of the last five, and this one will be a fight to the finish.
LEAN to the OVER 6.5 (-105).