Avalanche vs. Predators Odds
| Avalanche Odds | -162 |
| Predators Odds | +134 |
| Over / Under | 6.5 -110 / -110 |
Here's everything you need to know about Avalanche vs Predators on Monday, Nov. 20 — our expert prediction and betting picks for today.
The NHL is switching up its schedule a bit this week with Thanksgiving just around the corner. There will be no games on Tuesday or Thursday, and a busier-than-usual seven game slate on Monday night.
In a Central Division clash that night, the red-hot Colorado Avalanche will wrap up a two-game road swing with a visit to Music City. Last Saturday, the Avs rebounded from a 3-0 deficit to beat the division-leading Dallas Stars 6-3, their third win in a row.
Meanwhile, the Nashville Predators are in the midst of a five-game homestand. On Saturday, they snapped a four-game losing skid with a 4-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
The hosts will be hard-pressed to keep that going on Monday though, with Colorado once again playing the squad that captured the 2022 Stanley Cup. Let's dive into my Avalanche vs Predators prediction today.
Colorado Avalanche
When Colorado loses this season, it usually happens in dramatic fashion. But it doesn't happen very often. And after responding to an 8-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Nov. 11 with three impressive wins, the Avalanche now sit just one point behind the first-place Stars in the Central Division standings heading into Monday night's games.
With 19 goals in their last three outing, Colorado is now up to third place in the league offensively, averaging 3.81 goals per game. The usual suspects are leading the way, and Mikko Rantanen's 11 goals have come on just 57 shots, for an incredible accuracy rate of 19.3%.
New additions Ross Colton and Ryan Johansen have also chipped in with six goals each.
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Heading into Sunday's games, the Avs have now tied the Los Angeles Kings for top spot in expected goals share at 5-on-5, at 56.99%. That suggests that this current surge is very real, not smoke and mirrors.
And this success is coming with goaltending that has been just average. With Pavel Francouz now officially out for the season due to injury, the only stopper in the NHL that has been busier than Alexandar Georgiev is Tampa Bay's Jonas Johansson.
Georgiev is sitting at minus-0.2 goals saved above expected, with an .890 save percentage. But he has been strong in his last three outings, giving up just six goals in total, and the team in front of him has been limiting the number of shots that he has been facing.
Injuries always seem to be an issue for Colorado. In addition to the long-term issues for Francouz and captain Gabriel Landeskog, Artturi Lehkonen remains sidelined with a neck injury after he crashed head first into the boards back on Nov. 9.
Defenseman Josh Manson is also listed as day-to-day after missing the last three games with an upper-body issue.
Nashville Predators
As the Nashville Predators enter a new era with Barry Trotz as their general manager and Andrew Brunette behind the bench, their first steps down this road have been a bit rocky.
At 6-10-0, they sit 12th in the Western Conference heading into Sunday's games, six points shy of a wild-card spot. But they did snap their four-game losing streak against Chicago on Saturday.
The Predators are now into the second week of a five-game homestand, which will conclude with a visit from the Calgary Flames on Wednesday.
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Perhaps the biggest surprise of Nashville's season so far has been the play of Juuse Saros. After finishing third in Vezina Trophy voting in the 2021-22 season and fourth last year, the Finnish workhorse sits dead last in MoneyPuck's goals saved above expected ranking as of Sunday morning, at minus-7.3.
Saros's last win came back on Oct. 28, and while backup Kevin Lankinen has only played four games this season, he has a tidy .910 save percentage and has won his last two starts.
The Preds need good goaltending, because their penalty killing is shaky and on offense, they're averaging just three goals a game, led by Filip Forsberg and Ryan O'Reilly. All told, though, their 5-on-5 game is pretty decent, averaging 53.49% of expected goals.
One injury to note: after starting the season with 12 points in 14 games, Tommy Novak is expected to miss four-to-six weeks with an upper-body issue.
Avalanche vs. Predators
Betting Pick & Prediction
The Predators have had a light schedule, with just one game since last Tuesday. That has likely been a valuable opportunity to heal up some aches and pains, and do some systems work with the coaching staff at practice.
But the Avalanche have snapped to attention since they got a major dressing down from coach Jared Bednar after their blowout loss to the St. Louis Blues just over a week ago.
There's enough randomness in the NHL that any team can win on any given night, especially with a strong goaltending performance. But the Predators don't have the horses to keep pace with the Avalanche when they're running in their top gear, as they appear to be doing right now.
This sets up as a Colorado win — and all but one of their 10 victories this season have come by multiple goals. Grab the puck line at plus money.
Pick: Avalanche -1.5 (+150 at Caesars) | play down to +125
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