The New Jersey Devils visit the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night, with puck drop set for 9:00 p.m. ET at Ball Arena. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Colorado is a -148 Moneyline favorite, while the total is set at O/U 6.5 goals.
Below, I’ll break down the matchup and provide my top Avalanche vs. Devils prediction and best bet.
Avalanche vs. Devils Odds
| Market | New Jersey Devils | Colorado Avalanche |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | +124 | -148 |
| Puck Line | +1.5 (-198) | -1.5 (+164) |
| Total | Over 6.5 (+102) | Under 6.5 (-122) |
Avalanche vs. Devils Betting Preview
Colorado Avalanche Outlook
Colorado enters the matchup with a 6-5-1 record and has lost three of its past four games, most recently falling 6-2 to Nashville on Sunday. The Avalanche have been much better on home ice, where they are 4-1-1, compared to 2-4-0 on the road. Colorado still deploys one of the league’s most dangerous offenses, averaging 4.08 goals per game, the second-most in the NHL. Nathan MacKinnon leads the Avalanche with 21 points, including 14 assists, and centers the top line with Artturi Lehkonen and Martin Necas. Lehkonen has a team-high 10 goals, while Necas has added 16 points and Cale Makar has 11 points through 11 games. Nicolas Roy is day-to-day but was a full participant in Tuesday’s practice.
The club’s underlying numbers are not as strong as its usual scoring output suggests. Colorado has controlled 52.6% of the expected goals at 5v5, which ranks 13th, yet it owns the NHL’s second-best 5v5 goal share at 61.9%. The Avalanche have allowed 3.25 goals per game, tied for the 12th-most in the league, and their power play ranks tied for 22nd at 17.9%. Mackenzie Blackwood is the expected starter after posting a 5-3-0 record, 2.91 GAA and .893 SV% through eight starts, and his -1.5 goals saved above expected ranks 51st of 71 goalies.
New Jersey Devils Outlook
New Jersey enters Wednesday night with an 8-4-0 record and a four-game winning streak, outscoring opponents 16-6 during that run. The Devils capped the streak with a 5-1 win in Dallas on Tuesday, so they are playing the second half of a back-to-back, but they did beat Colorado 4-3 on Oct. 20. Jack Hughes leads the Devils with 14 points, including 10 assists, and skates on the top line with Arseny Gritsyuk and Jesper Bratt. Bratt has added 11 points, Gritsyuk has 10 points and six goals, and Nico Hischier leads the team with seven goals.
No team has been better at 5v5 than New Jersey this season, as the club has controlled an NHL-best 60.5% of the expected goals at 5v5, ranks second in 5v5 Corsi% at 59.5% and has allowed the fewest expected goals per game in the league at 2.40. The Devils are averaging 33.5 shots per game, the second-most in the NHL, while allowing just 23.4, the third-fewest. Connor Hellebuyck started in Dallas last night, and Jake Allen has been confirmed as tonight’s starter after posting a 5-2-0 record, 2.84 GAA and .886 SV% through seven starts.
Avalanche vs. Devils Prediction and Best Bet
Colorado has the more explosive offense and the rest advantage, but the Avalanche have lost three of their past four games, and their 5v5 goal share is running well ahead of the underlying numbers. New Jersey has been the better team at 5v5 by a wide margin, leading the NHL in expected goals share and allowing the fewest expected goals per game. The Devils also already beat the Avalanche this season and outshot them in that game.
The back-to-back is probably the biggest risk for this pick, and neither starting goaltender has been particularly sharp. Still, Allen will be fresh after Hellebuyck handled the start last night, and Blackwood has not been much better between the pipes for Colorado. At +124, I’ll take New Jersey’s possession and shot advantage to secure a fifth straight win tonight.
Best Bet: Devils Moneyline (+124)
Advanced stats courtesy of MoneyPuck.
