San Jose (24-13-6) at Colorado (24-16-3)
When: Thursday, January 18th 2018
Where: Pepsi Center, Denver, CO
Time: 9:05 ET | TV: NBCS California, Altitude
Opening Odds: Colorado -105/5.5
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The scorching Colorado Avalanche seek to continue their remarkable run when they host the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night in Denver. The Avs have already eclipsed last season’s point total (48) and are riding their longest winning streak in 12 years. Colorado defeated Anaheim 3-1 on Monday afternoon for its seventh straight victory – its most since winning eight in a row in the 2005-06 campaign. All-Star Nathan MacKinnon continues to lead the resurgent offense, scoring for the third straight game on Monday and giving him a team-best 20. The Avalanche, whose six-game home winning streak is their longest since an eight-game run in 2011-12, trail Los Angeles and Minnesota by two points in the race for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Colorado is three points behind San Jose, which sits in a virtual tie for second in the Pacific Division after a 3-2 shootout victory in Arizona on Tuesday – their third consecutive victory overall. San Jose swept last season’s two-game series in a three-day span – 3-2 in overtime and 5-2 at Colorado. Patrick Marleau, who is now playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs, scored four of the Sharks’ goals. Colorado has allowed only two power-play goals in the last 16 games, killing 47 penalties during that span, while San Jose is 5-for-11 on the power play in its past five games.
Brent Burns probably won’t win his second straight Norris Trophy because of his club-worst -17 rating, but leads the team and is third among NHL defensemen in points with 34, including 22 (six goals) in the last 17 games. Joe Thornton (11 goals, 32 points) has a hot stick right now, scoring a goal in three consecutive games and has 1,423 career points – two shy of Bryan Trottier for 16th all-time in the NHL. Logan Couture (team-high 17 goals in 39 games) also has 32 points – six in his last five games, but only four of his goals have come in the last 17 outings.
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The red-hot MacKinnon is tied for third in the NHL with 54 points after totaling 14 (five goals) during his current seven-game point streak. MacKinnon’s linemates – Mikko Rantanen (15 goals, 41 points) and Gabe Landeskog (16, 33) – are the next-highest scorers on the team, but Landeskog has only two assists in five January games while Rantanen has zero points in the last two games. Jonathan Bernier (11-7-1, 2.67 goals-against average, .915 save percentage) has started the last four games since taking over for the injured Semyon Varlamov. Bernier has an impressive .961 save percentage in the month of January.
Colorado is on a roll right now and I’m not jumping off the wagon yet. This is a very generous line, playing at home against a team that has an almost identical record.
Pick: Avalanche +100
- Sharks are 4-1 in their last 5 Thursday games.
- Sharks are 6-2 in their last 8 vs. Western Conference.
- Sharks are 2-5 in their last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Sharks are 2-6 in their last 8 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Sharks are 2-8 in their last 10 vs. Central.
- Sharks are 1-4 in their last 5 in the third game of a 3-in-4 situation.
- Sharks are 0-6 in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Avalanche are 5-0 in their last 5 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Avalanche are 6-0 in their last 6 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Avalanche are 6-0 in their last 6 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Avalanche are 6-0 in their last 6 games following a win.
- Avalanche are 7-0 in their last 7 overall.
- Avalanche are 6-0 in their last 6 home games.
- Avalanche are 7-16 in their last 23 Thursday games.
- Avalanche are 14-44 in their last 58 vs. Western Conference.
- Avalanche are 1-5 in their last 6 games playing on 2 days rest.
- Avalanche are 4-22 in their last 26 vs. Pacific.
- Under is 5-1 in Sharks last 6 road games.
- Under is 5-1 in Sharks last 6 games following a win.
- Under is 4-1 in Sharks last 5 in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 days situation.
- Under is 4-1 in Sharks last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 36-11-14 in Sharks last 61 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Under is 6-2 in Sharks last 8 Thursday games.
- Under is 6-2 in Sharks last 8 in the third game of a 3-in-4 days situation.
- Under is 5-2 in Sharks last 7 overall.
- Under is 5-2 in Sharks last 7 vs. Western Conference.
- Under is 44-19-15 in Sharks last 78 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Under is 25-12-5 in Sharks last 42 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Under is 5-1 in Avalanche last 6 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in Avalanche last 5 overall.
- Under is 4-1 in Avalanche last 5 games following a win.
- Under is 4-1 in Avalanche last 5 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in Avalanche last 5 vs. Pacific.
- Under is 4-1 in Avalanche last 5 vs. Western Conference.
- Under is 5-2 in Avalanche last 7 games playing on 2 days rest.
- Over is 7-3-1 in Avalanche last 11 Thursday games.
- Over is 6-0-1 in the last 7 meetings.
- Home team is 26-9 in the last 35 meetings.
- Over is 8-3-1 in the last 12 meetings in Colorado.
- Sharks are 37-18 in the last 55 meetings.
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