Colorado Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild 11/24/23 – The Colorado Avalanche roll into St. Paul Friday night riding a dominating 12-6 start. The Avalanche sit second in the Central division standings and have emerged as a leading Stanley Cup contender yet again. For NHL winning picks today, the Avalanche offer plenty of value as -128 favorites against the struggling Minnesota Wild. Despite a roster deserving of much better, the Wild have stumbled to a 5-8-4 start. Minnesota ranks dead last averaging just 2.10 goals per contest. Its once intimidating home ice advantage has faded fast while losing seven of its last nine at the Xcel Energy Center. Still, the Wild will look to shock the hockey world by taking down the powerhouse Avalanche tonight.
Colorado Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild 11/24/23
When: Friday, November 24, 8:30 PM ET
Where: Xcel Energy Center
TV: TNT
Stream: NHL.TV
Colorado Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild 11/24/23 Betting Odds:
| Team | PUCKLINE | TOTAL | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avalanche | -1.5 +185 | o6.5 -117 | -128 |  |
| Wild | +1.5 -215 | u6.5 +101 | +114 | |
| ||||
Still feeling the energy from Ball Arena last night ❤️💙#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/5Xgg46p36m
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) November 23, 2023
Goaltender Alexandar Georgiev vs. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury
Colorado netminder Alexandar Georgiev has been superb in his debut season with the Avs. Through 16 starts, the 27-year-old owns an 11-5 record with a 3.01 GAA and .891 save percentage. Georgiev has showed brilliance at times and has benefited from Colorado’s high-flying offense. He ranks top-10 in wins and has allowed 2 goals or fewer in 5 of his last 7 outings.
Longtime veteran Marc-Andre Fleury has struggled to find consistency since joining Minnesota this offseason. Through 9 starts, the former Vezina Trophy winner is 3-4-2 with a 3.46 GAA and .875 save percentage. The 38-year-old has flashed brilliance with 34+ save efforts in 2 of his last 4 games but has also allowed 4+ goals four times.
MacKinnon Leading Hot Colorado Offense
Nathan MacKinnon is spearheading a lethal Avalanche attack that ranks third league-wide by averaging 3.72 goals per game. The superstar center leads the team with 23 points (6 goals, 17 assists) through 18 contests while playing flanked by elite wingers Mikko Rantanen and Artturi Lehkonen. That all-star trio has combined for 17 goals and 57 points so far. Beyond his own scoring prowess, MacKinnon’s speed and playmaking open up space for his linemates to fill. Rantanen (12 goals) is currently on pace for a career-high 50 goals across 82 games. Thanks in large part to MacKinnon’s distribution abilities, Rantanen also ranks top-5 in power play goals (4) and shooting percentage (20%). While MacKinnon and Rantanen garner headlines, the Avalanche offense extends far beyond its top line.
Kaprizov Top Threat for Cold Minnesota Offense
After breaking the franchise record with 108 points last season, Kirill Kaprizov has gotten off to a slower start along with the rest of the underachieving Wild attack. Minnesota ranks dead last by averaging just 2.10 goals per game. However, Kaprizov still leads the team with 15 points (5 goals, 10 assists) through 17 contests. The electrifying Russian winger forms a formidable first line along with centers Joel Eriksson Ek and Mats Zuccarello.
That trio has combined for 35 points despite the team’s overall struggles. Kaprizov himself is still generating high-danger chances on a nightly basis, evidenced by his 61 shots on goal. That shot volume ranks top 15 league-wide among all forwards. Beyond Kaprizov, the Wild are still lacking secondary scoring punch outside of Eriksson Ek’s team-leading 8 goals. But Minnesota’s power play has shown signs of life by converting over 29% of chances over its past 10 games.
NHL Betting Odds: Colorado Avalanche -128, Over/Under: 6.5
Colorado is a moderate -128 favorite on the moneyline Friday night, thanks to its recent play and Minnesota’s early-season struggles. The total is set at 6.5 goals, with slight -121 juice on the over.
Trends
Colorado Avalanche Betting Trends
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Colorado’s last 9 games.
Colorado are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games.
Colorado are 15-5 SU in their last 20 games on the road.
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Colorado’s last 8 games against an opponent in the Western Conference conference.
Colorado are 14-4 SU in their last 18 games against an opponent in the Central Division division.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Colorado’s last 5 games played in November.
Minnesota Wild Betting Trends
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Minnesota’s last 16 games.
Minnesota are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games.
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Minnesota’s last 7 games at home.
Minnesota are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games against an opponent in the Western Conference conference.
Minnesota are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games against an opponent in the Central Division division.
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Minnesota’s last 7 games played on a Friday.
Colorado Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild Betting Pick
In terms of betting, back Colorado on the moneyline up to -150 odds at your favorite online sportsbook. The total is firmly set at 6.5 goals with nice value riding on the over play as well. Even with Minnesota’s early season struggles, the Wild offense is due for positive regression over the long haul. These two skilled teams could push this contest over the posted number, making OVER 6.5 a strong wager for your daily fantasy lineups.
Score Prediction: Avalanche 5, Wild 3.
