In this article, we’ll outline our best Wild vs. Avalanche prediction for Game 2, as well as the relevant betting notes for both teams.
The prices on sides remain nearly the same as we saw in Game 1, as the Avalanche are currently priced at -200 to win the game and stake a 2-0 lead in the NHL playoffs best-of-seven series.
Game 1 of the highly anticipated series between the Wild and Avalanche did not disappoint, as Colorado ultimately emerged victorious in a thrilling 9-6 barnburner.
The two heavyweights ultimately combined for 79 shots on goal and 30 high-danger scoring chances. The Avalanche scored three goals in a span of 2:01 midway through the first period, but the Wild answered with five of the next six goals to claim a momentary lead late in the second.
Both sides were strong defensively throughout the regular season, and locked it down defensively in Round 1. Chances are things will tighten up to some extent in Game 2, and the total has been bumped from 5.5 up to 6.5 following a chaotic Game 1.
Wild vs Avalanche prediction
Brock Faber Over 2.5 Shots on Goal +130 (Play to +120)
Faber over 2.5 shots on goal
Both sides will likely be eager to tighten things up defensively after some sloppy defensive play in Game 1, and each team has proven capable of offering well-structured defensive play this season. In terms of betting a side or total, the lean is with the under, but the best bet lies in tapping into Faber’s shot volume.
Faber continually looked eager to jump up into the attack in Round 1 off the rush, while he also continues to receive a lot of to D-to-D passes from partner Quinn Hughes at the offensive zone blue-line, with Hughes naturally drawing a lot of attention on the other side.
Throughout his first seven games of the postseason, Faber has averaged 6.14 shot attempts per game and recorded over 2.5 shots on goal four times while averaging three shots per game.
The Dallas Stars allowed just 24.90 shots per game in the 25 games that followed the Olympic break, and 27.15 shots per 60 in Round 1. The Avalanche are a strong defensive team and this series will likely tighten up moving forward, but this shouldn’t prove to be a more difficult series for Faber to generate shots on target than the last one was, and he did manage five shots from six attempts in the series opener.
Faber has averaged 29:39 of ice time this postseason, and particularly with Jonas Brodin sidelined, he will likely continue to play massive minutes alongside Hughes.
Wild vs. Avalanche Odds
| Wild moneyline odds | +165 |
| Avalanche moneyline odds | -200 |
| Puck Line odds | Wild +1.5 (-150), Avalanche -1.5 (+125) |
| Series odds | Wild (+350), Avalanche (-450) |
| Game total | Over 6.5 goals (-105), Under 6.5 (-115) |
Odds courtesy of bet365.
Betting Minnesota Wild
The Wild were able to storm back and make Game 1 competitive, even managing a momentary lead in the second period. But it was certainly not a performance that would be endorsed by head coach John Hynes. While Minnesota offers some elite offensive talents itself, its overall offensive depth is not on par with that of the Avalanche. Hynes’s main talking points entering this matchup will likely revolve around how to make Game 2 into more of a slog, and reduce the amount of quality scoring chances coming through the middle of the ice.
The losses of Joel Eriksson Ek and Jonas Brodin appeared to be fairly critical entering the series, and did seem to be a key reason for the team’s shaky defensive performance in Game 1.
While Ek is not exactly a true number-one centre, he is a strong shutdown option that typically handles a heavy workload of minutes versus opposing superstars. The Wild’s centre depth is by a wide margin the roster’s greatest weakness, and that concern is magnified with Ek sidelined.
And though Minnesota’s defensive core still boasts three excellent pieces in Hughes, Faber, and Jared Spurgeon, Brodin is arguably still the team’s best blue-liner defensively. Jake Middleton is no scrub, but he does offer a dropoff relative to Brodin on the second pairing, which hurts in a series where the Wild need to play to their ceiling in order to win.
Jesper Wallstedt has been excellent this postseason and Game 1’s result should not fall on his shoulders, but the Wild were always situated to give Filip Gustavsson an opportunity at the first signs of struggle from Wallstedt, and it has been confirmed that Gustavsson will start in this matchup.
Gustavsson had a strong regular season in playing to a +1.6 GSAx rating and .903 save percentage in 50 appearances. If things don’t go smoothly tonight, odds are we will see the team flip back to Wallstedt for Game 3.
Betting Colorado Avalanche
Game 1 probably felt like a breath of fresh air for the Avs’ superstars, after battling with a Los Angeles Kings side that employed an extremely conservative and defensive style in Round 1.
Nathan MacKinnon commented postgame on the greater challenge that the Wild offered in actually opting their talented defenders to join in on the attack, which was something the Kings never did. However the Wild will need to pick and choose when to be aggressive more effectively moving forward, or they will continue to get killed in transition by a high-powered Avalanche side.
While Wallstedt got hung with a horrific stat line in Game 1, Colorado created plenty of ultra-threatening chances that would never have been expected to be saved by any goaltender.
In Round 1, the Avalanche played to a 56.39% expected goal share at even strength and outscored the Kings 9-2. While perhaps the performance was not quite as dominant as some may have expected, the Kings’ entire approach revolved around attempting to take their chances in ultra low-event matchups.
The Avalanche played to a 58.92% expected goal share in Game 1, and were the best team in the NHL at even strength during the regular season. Minnesota will likely need exceptional goaltending and to win the special teams battle handily in order to find success in this series, at least with Ek and Brodin sidelined, and we did not see those narratives come to fruition in Game 1.
GM Joe Sakic bolstered his centre depth over the previous two deadlines in adding Brock Nelson and Nazem Kadri. With MacKinnon, Nelson, Kadri, and Jack Drury down the middle, the Avs are completely stacked at the position, and that may prove to be a strength that is very tough for the Wild to overcome in this series.
Scott Wedgewood will likely get the start despite an iffy showing in Game 1. He holds a +2.9 GSAx rating and .920 save percentage this postseason, which is more than enough for an Avalanche side which is likely capable of winning it all with fairly average play in goal.
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