Two sides who haven’t had things their way lately are the Colorado Avalanche and the New York Islanders. Tonight the two struggling franchises meet at the Ball Arena, and here we preview their clash in our NHL betting picks.
The Avalanche have had a torrid time with injuries and lack of form lately. They sit in fourth place in the Central Division, a massive 8 points behind the leaders, the Dallas Stars. As for the New York Islanders, they aren’t doing any better, and sit down in fifth place in the Metropolitan Division, 7 points behind the leaders, the New Jersey Devils.
This has led to both sides seeing their Vegas odds to win the 2023 Stanley Cup drop. The Avalanche started the season as the +450 favorites to retain the trophy they won so impressively last season and are now only down to second in the betting at +650.
This isn’t just down to the poor form of the Avalanche but also the excellent start to the season by the Boston Bruins. The Bruins are now the favorites to win the Stanley Cup in 2023. The best Vegas NHL betting sites have Boston at just +500 to win the cup for the first time since 2011.
As for the Islanders, they are down to +4500 to win the Stanley Cup with top sites like BetUS. For more details about BetUS, including how to receive their latest welcome bonus, please visit our BetUS sportsbook review.
After a very tricky end to November and start to December, Jared Bednar’s Avalanche team is slowly looking like they are returning to a bit of form. They’ve won three of their last four matches. Which after the previous run, is a serious improvement.
Yes, the level of opposition might have helped, as they haven’t been facing teams like the Bruins. But wins are wins, and they do breed confidence. In their last four matches, the Avalanche have defeated the Blues 3-2 (overtime required), the Flyers 3-2, and then on Saturday night, the Predators 3-1.
Sandwiched between those wins is a 4-2 home defeat suffered by the Buffalo Sabres last Thursday. But as we’ve already mentioned, the Avalanche performed far worse a few weeks back. Back then, they had large defeats at the hands of the Jets (5-0) and the Bruins on two occasions (5-1 and 4-0).
The recent upturn in form still sees Colorado a long way off the pace in the Central Division. They sit fourth with 34 from 29 games, but they have two games in hand on the Jets (2nd), the Wild (3rd), and three games in hand on division leaders, the Dallas Stars.
In their last ten outings, Bednar’s team has a 4-5-1 record. But most of those five losses came at the start of the run of matches.
As for the New York Islanders, they have 37 points from 32 matches and sit fifth in the Metropolitan Division. In their last ten matches, their record reads 4-5-1, and overall, this season, they are 18-13-1.
On Saturday night, they pulled off what has to be regarded as an unexpected 5-2 win over the Golden Knights at the T-Mobile Arena. This after a sixth loss in eight games away to the Coyotes on Friday night.
Arizona’s 5-4 defeat saw the Islanders fall out of the playoff spots, but Saturday’s win puts them back on the right side of the line. Nevertheless, if Lane Lambert’s team wishes to remain in the playoff zone, they will need to vastly improve on their recent record.
Onto tonight’s betting, and on the moneyline the Avalanche are the favorites to win at -163 with BetOnline. The same company makes the Islanders +147.
Moving onto the handicap, the Islanders are receiving the +1.5 points start, and with that, they are the handicap favorites at -180. The Colorado Avalanche (-1.5) is +160.
Finally, the total points spread. This is set at a low looking 5.5 points, under 5.5 at +113, and over 5.5 points at -125.
Moving onto our free NHL betting picks, with both sides hard to pick, it’s a tough match to call. If the Islanders performed as they did against the Golden Knights, they would be the pick. But where is the evidence to suggest they can play like that twice in succession?
And as for the Avalanche. Yes, they’ve improved, but they still throw in the odd display as they did in their recent 4-2 home defeat to the Sabres.
With too much risk involved with backing both of these teams, I’m going to go for over 5.5 goals at -125. I think this is the less risky pick.
If you want me to pick a winner, I’ll go for the Avalanche, as they have a home advantage. But I’d be cautious with my stake, as you just don’t know what either of these teams will do now.
