Colorado Avalanche Vs. Chicago Blackhawks Odds, Picks, and Predictions (1/28/22)
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The Colorado Avalanche rallied past the Boston Bruins 4-3 on Wednesday as Gabriel Landeskog tied the game with 36.5 seconds left in regulation and Cale Makar scored a power-play goal, his 17th tally of the season at 3:01 of overtime. The Avalanche are 30-8-3 with 63 points, first in the Central Division. They’re 13-0-1 this month and have an NHL-best 30 wins. The Chicago Blackhawks had their highest-scoring game of the season in an 8-5 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday. Additionally, Dylan Strome had a hat trick in the victory. Chicago is one of seven teams this year to score eight times in a game. The win over Detroit snapped a four-game winless drought by Chicago. The Blackhawks are 16-20-7 for 39 points, seventh in the Central Division. Colorado and Chicago will meet on Friday at the United Center. In their last meeting, which was this past Monday, the Avalanche shutout the Blackhawks 2-0.
Colorado Avalanche Vs. Chicago Blackhawks Betting Odds
The Avalanche are 4-0 in their last four game vs. Central Division opponents. Colorado is 43-8 in their last 51 games vs. a team with a losing record. The Avalanche are 6-1 in the last seven meetings with the Blackhawks. Colorado opened the season at +625 to win the Stanley Cup and is currently the favorite at +500 to lift Lord Stanley’s Cup. The Blackhawks are 0-5 in their last five games after scoring five goals or more in their previous game. Under is 3-0-2 in the Blackhawks last five Friday games. In their last six meetings in Chicago, the Blackhawks are 1-5 against the Avalanche.
Colorado Avalanche Betting Odds
Nazem Kadri is fourth in the NHL in scoring with 55 points (16 points and 39 assists); averaging 1.45 points per game. He’s averaging 19:07 of ice time per game and is a +18. Mikko Rantanen is tied for seventh in the NHL in scoring with 49 points (22 goals and 27 assists); averaging 1.29 points per game. He’s seventh in the NHL in plus/minus at +24 and is averaging 20:45 of ice time per game. Nathan MacKinnon was injured on Wednesday, he’s currently third on the club in scoring with 43 points in 31 games; tied for fifth in the NHL with 34 assists. He’s listed at +1500 to win the Hart Trophy. Captain Gabriel Landeskog has played in 33 games this year and has 41 points (16 goals and 25 assists). In his 11th season, he’s averaging 20:22 of ice time per game and has won 55.8% of his draws at the face-off dot. Valeri Nichushkin is another reliable forward for the Avalanche, with 21 points in 25 games this year.
Cale Makar is one of the top three defensemen in the NHL. He’s +200 to win his first Norris Trophy. In his third season, Makar leads all NHL defensemen with 167 goals and has 41 points, which is fourth amongst defensemen this year. He’s blocked 46 shots and has delivered 42 hits in 2021-22. Finally, he leads Colorado in game winning goals this campaign with five. Devon Toews has 32 points this year (eight goals and 24 assists). In his second season with Colorado, he leads the NHL is plus/minus at +35. Samuel Girard has 24 points in 39 games this season (five goals and 19 assists). He’s averaging 21:55 of ice time per game and has blocked 51 shots. Veteran Erik Johnson has played in 41 games in 2021-22. He leads the Avalanche in blocked shots with 70 and hits with 93.
Darcy Kuemper has started 29 games for the Avalanche this year. He’s 20-5-1 with a .913 save percentage and a 2.64 GAA. In the Avalanche’s win over Boston on Wednesday, Kuemper made 29 saves. Pavel Francouz recorded his second shutout of the season, when he blanked the Chicago Blackhawks 2-0 on Monday. This year, he’s played in seven games and is 6-1 with a .932 save percentage and a 2.03 GAA.
Chicago Blackhawks Betting Odds
Alex DeBrincat leads the Blackhawks in goals this season with 26, fourth overall in the NHL. “The Cat” has 10 power play goals this year, which is third in the league, overall, he has 33 points. On Tuesday, he scored two goals in the victory over Detroit. In 329 career games, DeBrincat has scored 145 goals. Patrick Kane leads the Blackhawks in scoring this season with 38 points (nine goals and 29 assists). The winger has 16 points on the power play in 2021-22 (four goals and 12 assists). The three-time Stanley Cup winner has scored over 100 points twice in a season; his career high was 110 in 2018-19. In 1,068 career games, Kane has 1,126 points (413 goals and 713 assists); averaging 1.05 points per game. Captain Jonathan Toews has registered 19 points in 2021-22 (four goals and 15 assists). He has won 58.6% of his face-offs this year. Kirby Dach has played in 40 games this season and has 14 points. More was expected from the third-year center, but his numbers just aren’t there yet. Dylan Strome is another player Chicago had hoped for more production this season. He’s played in 30 games and has scored seven goals, including a hat trick on Wednesday against Detroit. Strome is averaging 14:39 of ice time per game and has won 56.7of his face-offs this season.
Seth Jones is the Blackhawks third leading scorer this season with 28 points (three goals and 25 assists) and has added 11 assists on the power play. In his first season in Chicago, he’s fourth in the league averaging 26:04 of ice time per game. Jones has 80 blocked shots and 16 takeaways this year. Connor Murphy leads the team in blocks with 105 and is second on the team in hits with 87. The nine-year defenseman has chipped in six points on the campaign in 40 games. Jake McCabe who’s in his first season with the Blackhawks has delivered 83 hits and blocked 85 shots in 2021-22. Calvin DeHaan is averaging 19:23 of ice time per game and is second on the team in block with 92.
2020-21 Vezina Trophy Marc Andre-Fleury in his first season with the Blackhawks has started 30 games. “The Flower” is 14-13-3 with a .911 save percentage and a 2.84 GAA. The three-time Stanley Cup winner is tied for third in the NHL with three shutouts.
Colorado Avalanche Vs. Chicago Blackhawks Picks & Prediction
Colorado is scoring 4.1 goals per game, which leads the NHL and is fifth in shots per game with 35. On the defensive side, the Avalanche are allowing three goals per game which ranks 18th in the league. Chicago is scoring 2.4 goals per game, which is 29th in the league and is 29th in the NHL in shots taken per game with 28.6. Defensively they are allowing 3.3 goals per game, ranked 22nd overall. The Avalanche have won eight games in a row, and I see them continuing their winning streak and beating the home team Blackhawks. The clubs will combine for over 6.5 goals.
