The Colorado Avalanche try to take back home-ice advantage against the St. Louis Blues Saturday in Game 3 of their Western Conference Semifinals playoff series. The series is tied 1-1. Puck drop from Enterprise Center is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET (TNT). Below, we look at the Avalanche vs. Blues Game 3 odds and lines, and make our expert NHL picks, predictions and bets.
For as much as Colorado dominated the Blues in Game 1, St. Louis flipped the script and took it to the Avs in Game 2. LW David Perron had 2 goals, and G Jordan Binnington was a star again as he made 30 saves on 31 shots in a 4-1 victory.
St. Louis really tightened up its forecheck and didn’t allow a single odd-man rush in the game. The 31 shots on goal were a far cry from the 54 fired at Binner in the first game.
Something to watch, and he’s not on the injury report, but D Cale Makar wiped out hard with his right knee banging into the goal post midway through Game 2. He limped off and told his teammates he was OK coming off, but that’s something that could swell up and remain tender the rest of the series.
C Nathan MacKinnon has 2 assists in the series, but he has really been held in check by Blues C Ryan O’Reilly. Makar, MacKinnon and RW Mikko Rantanen combined for 96 goals in the regular season. They have none in this series. I’d be surprised if one of them didn’t break through in this one.
Avalanche at Blues odds and lines
- Money line: Avalanche -175 (bet $175 to win $100) | Blues +140 (bet $100 to win $140)
- Against the spread (ATS): Avalanche -1.5 (+133) | Blues +1.5 (-170)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -122 | U: -102)
Avalanche at Blues projected goalies
Darcy Kuemper (3-1, 1.98 GAA, .923 SV% – postseason) vs. Jordan Binnington (4-1, 1.75 GAA, .948 SV% – postseason)
Kuemper wasn’t terrible, but he has shown some holes in these 2 games. He has saved 51 of 56 for a .910 SV% in the series. He had a 3.40 GAA and an .870 SV% against St. Louis in the regular season, too. So goaltending is one area Colorado doesn’t have the advantage.
Binnington has been unreal. Even though he has played in about half of the games as the guys ahead of him, he is 4th in the playoffs with 4.6 goals saved above expected, according to MoneyPuck. The only goal he gave up in Game 2 came on the power play, and he really hasn’t let a soft one in yet this series.
Money line
The Avs are huge favorites on the road here. No one will contest that Colorado doesn’t have the most high-end talent, but St. Louis has talent across 4 lines and they have Stanley Cup-winning experience.
The Blues will also have a rowdy Enterprise Center behind them. The Avalanche aren’t just divisional rivals — they are owned by the villainous Stan Kroenke, who moved the NFL’s Rams from St. Louis to Los Angeles in questionable fashion. The crowd will be fired up.
We said Game 2 would either be a close win by Colorado or St. Louis could steal it. The same holds true for Game 3. It’ll be a close win by St. Louis or the Avs could steal it. Considering how well Binnington has played, we’ll take the value and LEAN BLUES (+140).
Against the spread
Neither puck line is attractive here. If the Blues get beat, there’s no sense in paying -175 for a goal of insurance. Instead, if you’re feeling the improved puck play and the continued dominance between the pipes, go lightly on BLUES IN REGULATION (+205). St. Louis has been a bad overtime team all season so if it’s going to win, it’ll likely have to be in regulation anyway.
Over/Under
You’re living dangerously taking the Under with these two powerful offenses. However, both games have cashed Under tickets, and it has been 3 Unders in a row for St. Louis. Go lightly here, but until these goalies really start showing leaks LEAN UNDER 6.5 (-102).