The Pepsi Center is playing host an East-West showdown as the New Jersey Devils visit the Mile-High City to meet the Colorado Avalanche. It’s the last time that these two clubs will go at it in the regular season. This one gets going at 9 p.m. ET on Friday, December 1 and it can be caught live on Altitude Sports & Entertainment.
New Jersey Devils vs. Colorado Avalanche Odds
New Jersey is 14-10 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 6.8 units this season. 13 of its games have gone over the total, while 11 have gone under and none have pushed. This 2017-18 Devils team is 8-4 SU on the road.
New Jersey has converted on 23.0 percent of its power play chances this year, a mark that’s good enough for seventh-best in the NHL. Its penalty kill is ranked 15th overall, and it has successfully killed off 80.9 percent of its penalties.
For the team as a whole, the Devils have been penalized 4.3 times per game this season, and 2.8 per game over its last five on the road. The teams had to kill penalties just 6.8 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Boasting a .918 save percentage and 30.6 saves per game, Cory Schneider (10-8-3) has been the top option in goal for New Jersey this season. If New Jersey chooses to rest him, however, they may roll with Keith Kinkaid (5-3-1 record, .906 save percentage, 3.05 goals against average).
The visiting Devils have relied heavily on Taylor Hall and Nico Hischier this season. Hall has 26 points on eight goals and 18 assists, and has recorded multiple points seven times. Hischier has five goals and 13 assists to his name, and has registered a point in 11 games.
Over on the other bench, Colorado is 12-11 straight up (SU) and has netted 4.1 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 23 regular season matches, 14 of its games have gone over the total, while nine have gone under and none have pushed. It’s 8-3 SU as the home team this year.
The Avalanche have converted on just 19.8 percent of their power play opportunities this season, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 25th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 77.3 percent of all opponent power plays.
Colorado players have been called for penalties 4.5 times per game in total this season, and 3.4 per game over their last five games. The teams had to stave off opponent power plays just 8.7 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Semyon Varlamov has stopped 30.2 shots per game as the top netminder in goal for the Avalanche. Varlamov has eight wins, five losses, and one overtime loss to his credit and has maintained a pedestrian 3.13 goals against average and a subpar .906 save percentage this year.
The Avs offense will be led by Nathan MacKinnon (eight goals, 20 assists).
New Jersey Devils at Colorado Avalanche Betting Predictions
Predictions: SU Winner – Avalanche, O/U – Under
Betting Notes
- Colorado is 1-1 in games decided by a shootout this season while New Jersey is 2-2 in shootouts.
- The total has gone under in four of Colorado’s last five outings.
- 75.0 percent of Colorado’s wins have come by two or more goals (the team is 9-6 overall in games decided by at least two scores) while only 35.7 percent of New Jersey’s wins have come by two goals or more (5-5 overall in such games).
