Free NHL Hockey Prediction: Oilers vs. Avalanche NHL Odds
Looking for Edmonton Oilers vs. Colorado Avalanche free hockey plays & NHL Odds? NHL betting sees the Oilers taking on the Avalanche on Thursday, June 2nd at Ball Arena in Denver. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all NHL Hockey games all season long so stay tuned for more FREE daily NHL hockey predictions like this Oilers Avalanche matchup.
(49-27-6) Edmonton Oilers vs. Colorado Avalanche (56-19-7)
Date: Thursday June 2nd 2022
Time: 8:00 PM ET
Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado
NHL Hockey Moneyline Odds: Oilers +160 | Avalanche -180 (Bet Now!)
NHL Hockey Puck Line Odds: Canucks +1.5 -140 | Avalanche -1.5 +130
NHL Betting Total: 7.0
Any superlative or cleverly strung together sentence I try to muster will not adequately describe what we all just witnessed last night. That first game lived up to all the hype and more.
In the early going of the first period Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were forced to play each shift in their own end and got a taste of their own medicine from the Avalanche’s top unit. Mackinnon, Landeskog and Lehkonen effectively hemmed them in their own zone which seemed like the best way to defend against them.
That was short lived of course, right when I was suggesting in the betting group chat that Woodcroft should consider splitting them up in the second, Leon made a play to keep the puck alive to Kulak and Connor assisted on a Hyman marker that made the game 2-2 with only a few ticks left until the first intermission.
Then, Cale Makar put his capabilities on display in what was perhaps a controversial goal to make it 3-2. Our over bet was already 2 goals away from hitting within the first 20.
And it only got crazier from there.
Makar ended the night with 4 points, Draisaitl had 2 assists. Mackinnon, a goal and an assist and McDavid finished with a goal and 2 assists. Safe to say the big boys for both squads came to play.
What was perhaps more impressive for the Oilers was the depth players chipping in similarly to the way we have come to expect from the Avalanche.
I hope you were not fading me, we went 3-0 for the evening! I am certainly not happy about the result as an Edmonton fan of course, but happy as a handicapper.
Where do we go from here? What may be the way to lean next game?
Let’s dig into the early lines and the underlying numbers from Game 1, shall we?
Edmonton Oilers
For whatever reason the Oilers are not a Game 1 team. Mike Smith cracked wise about it in his post game presser.
“Obviously we don’t like game ones.” He said rather abrasively to a reporter who asked a rather inflammatory question. The Oilers and Mike Smith are now 0-3 in the opening game these playoffs and have given up 21 goals in those games.
They did get the games first goal last night off of a busted coverage by the Avalanche defence and a expertly elevated pass from Nugent-Hopkins that sprung Kane on a breakaway, but despite that their start was rather poor.
One thing the Oilers have been great at however, is following up a poor game with a good one. If we assume that trend continues game two will look different.
Even in that being said the Oilers did not look all that terrible, in fact they played pretty well and scored enough to win a game any other night. The problem is, the Avalanche are a certified wagon and played just that much better for just a bit longer.
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche are without a doubt the best forechecking team remaining in the playoffs. They have an ability to keep pucks on a string as a unit and hem defenders in their own zone for what seems like an eternity.
The Barrie and Kulak shift comes to mind that eclipsed two minutes for Kulak and was just a hair under for Barrie who was able to escape the ice by the skin of his teeth due to the Avalanche picking off a clear out in the neutral zone and getting right back on the attack in a split second which forced Kulak to stay out there.
That’s just what the Avs are capable of and I cannot think of a past team that has been able to play such a run and gun style with such precision and discipline.
Speaking of that, they also very rarely take penalties. Both the Oilers and Avalanche only took two infractions a piece but Edmonton does have a tendency to stage a parade to the box more often which is something that will kill them down the stretch of this series.
What is of major concern for Colorado, is that Darcy Kuemper who has already shown some cracks in the armour over the last 14 days left the game during a tv timeout and did not return.
Later on in the second it was determined that he was unlikely to return due to an upper body injury. Francouz came in to relieve him and made 18 saves, allowed 3 goals for a save percentage of .857, which I believe will undoubtedly change the approach in game two for head coach Jared Bednar.
NHL Betting Trends:
- The total has gone OVER in 5 of Edmonton’s last 6 games.
- Edmonton are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games.
- Edmonton are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games against Colorado.
- The total has gone OVER in 5 of Edmonton’s last 7 games on the road.
- Edmonton are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against Colorado.
- Edmonton are 6-2 SU in their last 8 games against an opponent in the Western Conference conference.
- The total has gone OVER in 8 of Edmonton’s last 12 games against an opponent in the Central Division division.
- The total has gone OVER in 4 of Colorado’s last 5 games.
- Colorado are 9-2 SU in their last 11 games.
- Colorado are 11-4 SU in their last 15 games at home.
- Colorado are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Edmonton.
- The total has gone OVER in 6 of Colorado’s last 9 games against an opponent in the Western Conference conference.
- The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Colorado’s last 17 games against an opponent in the Pacific Division division.
Overview 4* Free NHL Betting Pick: Oilers PL +1.5 @ -150
My professional opinion is to take the insurance with the +1.5 in this one but I think the Oilers pull off the split on the road and continue their playoff trends so also sprinkle them moneyline at +160.
A bit of a romantic, homer bet? Sure, but we have seen time and time again McDavid and Draisaitl will this team to victory, and we have also seen them come back after games like this with much better defensive play.
Darnell Nurse has to better of course, and he has been throughout the playoffs but his consistency issues have reared their ugly head. One play in particular comes to mind when him and his partner Cody Ceci appeared to miscommunicate on a puck retrieval, both players got lost and allowed Landeskog to walk behind their net unscathed to pick up the loose puck and begin an attack.
They will be better. They have to be.
What encourages me is two things. First of all, the Oilers showed they can hang with this team’s speed and skill.
They damn near tied the game late and most of the public believe with their interpretation of the offside rule that Makar’s goal should not have counted. Also, Colorado’s goaltending is every bit as shaky and possibly even worse than Edmonton’s.
Although I do not think we will get another 14 goal game tomorrow night because both teams will likely clean some things up and play tighter defensively, this series is going to go just as we all hoped for entertainment value and expected with the players they have on both sides.
Meaning, tons of scoring no matter how good the goalies play.
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