Colorado (41-26-8) at Vegas (47-21-7)
When: Monday, March 26th 2018
Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Time: 10:05 ET | TV: Altitude, AT&T Sportsnet Rocky Mountain
Opening Odds: Vegas -175/6
Open an Account at Bovada Sportsbook Now! Sign up at Bovada.lv to get up to a $250 Deposit Bonus and to bet all the Web’s best NHL Hockey odds and props!
The Vegas Golden Knights are inching closer to concluding the greatest inaugural season in pro sports history, but hit a bump on Saturday night in Denver when trying to clinch a playoff spot. They will get a second chance in three days against the Colorado Avalanche when they host them Monday night in Las Vegas. Colorado prevailed 2-1 in a shootout Saturday in Denver to maintain its hold on the top wild-card spot in the Western Conference as it moves closer to doubling its 48-point total from 2016-17. The two teams are currently in position to face each other in the first round of the postseason as well. Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon is having the best season of his young career and is probably going to take on MVP honors during the offseason, but the most important part of the team right now is goaltender Semyon Varlamov. The Russian netminder is expected to play his 21st straight game Monday and make his 19th start during that span. Vegas holds a six-point lead over San Jose for first place in the Pacific Division despite a 6-5-3 stretch in its last 14 games. Vegas, Nashville, Boston and Winnipeg are the only teams in the top 10 in goals scored and fewest goals allowed.
MacKinnon, who leads the team in both goals (38) and points (92), is among the league leaders in points. His 14-game point streak was snapped on Saturday in which he recorded 13 goals and 14 assists during that span. Mikko Rantanen (27 goals, 80 points) is right behind MacKinnon and was also held off the scoresheet Saturday, snapping an eight-game point streak in which he totaled five goals and 11 assists. Carl Soderberg returned to the lineup Saturday after missing two games because of illness and scored his 16th goal of the season, tying his career high set in 2013-14 with Boston. Colorado will host Philadelphia on Wednesday night.
[ad id=’64425′]
Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury missed Thursday’s 2-1 overtime loss at San Jose after taking a shot off the mask in Tuesday’s 4-1 victory over Vancouver but returned sharp on Saturday with 39 saves. Jonathan Marchessault scored for the second time in three games Saturday, increasing his team-leading point total to 69. Erik Haula has recorded only one assist in the last four games after recording four goals and an assist in the previous three contests. Haula (28 goals) is one tally shy of matching his total from the previous two seasons combined with Minnesota.
Vegas seems to have lost some steam, especially offensively as they approach the postseason, while Colorado is scratching and crawling their way just to get in. The Avs have won six of eight and are the better team right now.
Pick: Avalanche +155
- Avalanche are 6-0 in their last 6 Monday games.
- Avalanche are 5-1 in their last 6 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Avalanche are 4-1 in their last 5 vs. Pacific.
- Avalanche are 6-2 in their last 8 overall.
- Avalanche are 16-7 in their last 23 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Avalanche are 24-49 in their last 73 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Avalanche are 23-49 in their last 72 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Avalanche are 26-56 in their last 82 vs. Western Conference.
- Avalanche are 16-45 in their last 61 road games.
- Avalanche are 7-20 in their last 27 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Golden Knights are 8-3 in their last 11 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Golden Knights are 23-9 in their last 32 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Golden Knights are 25-10 in their last 35 home games.
- Golden Knights are 21-9 in their last 30 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Golden Knights are 2-5 in their last 7 vs. Western Conference.
- Golden Knights are 1-4 in their last 5 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Golden Knights are 1-4 in their last 5 Monday games.
- Golden Knights are 0-4 in their last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 4-0-2 in Avalanche last 6 Monday games.
- Over is 3-0-1 in Avalanche last 4 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Over is 10-1-3 in Avalanche last 14 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Over is 5-1-2 in Avalanche last 8 games following a win.
- Over is 7-2-1 in Avalanche last 10 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 3-1-2 in Avalanche last 6 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Under is 3-1-3 in Avalanche last 7 road games.
- Over is 5-2 in Avalanche last 7 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Over is 7-3-3 in Avalanche last 13 overall.
- Over is 14-6-3 in Avalanche last 23 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Under is 4-0 in Golden Knights last 4 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Under is 4-0 in Golden Knights last 4 overall.
- Under is 4-0 in Golden Knights last 4 vs. Western Conference.
- Under is 4-0 in Golden Knights last 4 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Under is 6-1 in Golden Knights last 7 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in Golden Knights last 5 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Under is 5-2 in Golden Knights last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 9-4 in Golden Knights last 13 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Trends courtesy of SportsOptions.com – an UltimateCapper.com partner
