If you’re not fired up for these Stanley Cup Playoffs, I don’t know what to tell you. This was an electric race to sort out the final playoff spots, and the action will stay hot well into the postseason. The Colorado Avalanche won the top overall seed in the NHL once again, and are looking to bring another Stanley Cup back to Colorado. Will the Los Angeles Kings be able to stand in their way?
Here’s a detailed look at this Avalanche vs. Kings series, including a preview, betting odds, and a top pick on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Avalanche vs. Kings series preview
Colorado Avalanche
This Avs team is a wagon. No other way to put it.
Incredibly, the Avalanche finished first in total goals scored and total goals allowed. Their 121 points was the highest total they’ve posted since the 119 points in their championship season; this also marks five straight years of 100+ points and a playoff berth. And it’s the usual suspects driving their play; Nathan MacKinnon won the Rocket Richard trophy with 53 goals, and a whopping 127 total points. Cale Makar, a two-time Norris Trophy winner, picked up 79 points. That’s his fifth straight season recording a point-per-game or higher pace.
But they’re not alone. This blue line is excellent, thriving at shutdown hockey while taking few penalties. Martin Necas, the primary return in the Mikko Rantanen deal, had a 100-point season. They’re comfortable rolling four lines, and can get scoring from anywhere. As if that wasn’t enough, Scott Wedgewood led all goaltenders in save percentage and goals allowed on average. This team truly has no holes.
Los Angeles Kings
To put it mildly, the Los Angeles Kings are lucky to be here. The Pacific Division was a hot mess this season; the top seed in the Pac wouldn’t have cracked the top three in the Central Division. LA rode this weak competition to squeak into the playoffs; incredibly, the Kings suffered 20 overtime losses this year, and played in more OT games than any other team in NHL history. All those extra points sure came in handy down the stretch.
The backbone of the Kings is their defense. Once again led by Drew Doughty, they were seventh in total defense on the year. A strong cadre of checking forwards in front of a great blue line helped masked their goaltending issues; the Darcy Kuemper vs. Anton Forsberg battle is one to watch. But it’s a definite identity to lean on.
The same cannot be said for LA’s offense. They finished 29th in total goals and had only one player (Adrian Kempe) surpass the 50-point mark. With Anze Kopitar looking several steps slow in his retirement campaign, they’re desperate for someone to step up and lead this attack.
Avalanche vs. Kings first-round series prediction, pick
Puck luck can always change a series. But this is a matchup between the best team in the playoffs and the worst; you could make a good argument that several teams in the East were more deserving of a playoff spot than the Kings. This one should be wrapped up in short order, and I’d be shocked if it takes more than five games for the Avs to dispatch of the Kings
Best Bet: Colorado Avalanche Series Spread -2.5 (+125)
Puck drop for Game 1 of this series is Sunday, April 19, at 3 p.m. ET.
