Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche Game 2 Preview, Picks & Odds for Tuesday, May 5, 2026

By Kody Malstrom | May 04, 2026, 7:40pm

From the opening puck drop, the Colorado Avalanche front line were able to consistently pressure the Minnesota Wild’s net, putting up nine goals on the board in their 9-6 win over Minnesota. While most of their goals can be chalked up to poor goaltending, their result in Expected Goals was still dominant, generating 4.64 to the Wild’s 2.90 in game one.

Heading into game two, expect the Avs back line to round back into competitive form by smothering the Wild who lack the versatility that is needed to break through their coverage. With negative regression looming large over Minnesota, they will struggle to match the Avs output, making them vulnerable to falling into an 0-2 hole before traveling back home.

Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche Betting Analysis

While the Colorado Avalanche front line have hogged the spotlight, their back line has quietly been nearly just as dominant, ending the regular season ranked in the top-5 in Expected Goals Against in All Situations. Their suffocating coverage drastically lowered the quality of their opponents Shots on Goal, forcing them into prolonged scoring lulls throughout their contests.

When protected, Scott Wedgewood has been able to play at a very high level, averaging 2.02 Goals Against per game and a .921 Save Percentage. Even when incorporating his poor performance in game one against Minnesota, Wedgewood still resides near the top of the board in Goals Against, averaging just 2.15 per game in five starts.

Heading into game two, expect Wedgewood to get back up off the mat by walling off a Minnesota Wild front line who lacks the playmaking that is needed to stretch out the Avs coverage. Even though their offense does rank in the top half of the board in Expected Goals For, their drop off in production after their top two lines is alarming, fielding just five players who average more than 0.25 Expected Goals per game.

On the other side of the ice, the Avs front line have seemingly been able to recapture the same success they had in the regular season, a unit who led the league in Expected Goals For in All Situations and in 5-on-5 Play. A stunning turnaround when factoring in the minimal support they received from Nathan MacKinnon who generated only 0.13 Expected Goals when throwing out his empty netter.

With clear advantages on both sides of the ice, expect the Avs to build on their momentum and put together another dominant performance in game two, covering the puck line in the process. For some more exposure, also place a wager on the Wild to be held under their team total at 2.5 as their lack of versatility will make it difficult for them to find the back of the net.

Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche Best Bet, Pick & Prediction

Best Bet: COL -1.5 (+131)
Score Prediction: Avalanche 4, Wild 2

Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche Game Odds

Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche Game Information

Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
Network: ESPN
Location: Denver, Colorado
Venue: Ball Arena – 6.5 goals per game; 19-23-2 O/U
Series Score: Avs 1-0

Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche Betting Resources

Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche Key Players

Minnesota Wild

Kirill Kaprizov – Last Game: (0 Goals, 1 Assist, 1 Shot on Goal)
Matt Boldy – Last Game: (0 Goals, 1 Assist, 3 Shots on Goal)
Jesper Wallstedt – Last Game: (8 Goals Against, 34 Saves)

Colorado Avalanche

Nathan MacKinnon – Last Game: (1 Goal, 2 Assists, 4 Shots on Goal)
Martin Necas – Last Game: (0 Goals, 3 Assists, 3 Shots on Goal)
Scott Wedgewood – Last Game: (6 Goals Against, 30 Saves)

Photo Credit: AP/David Zalubowski

Kody Malstrom

Kody is a professional sports bettor and sports betting journalist with eight years of experience in the industry. He covers a wide range of sports, including NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NCAAB, NHL, MLB, and UFC. What started as a side gig has turned into a full time job, spending a majority of his time staring at odds screens and market movement. When away from the computer, Kody enjoys spending his time outdoors relaxing at the beach or golfing with friends.