Predators vs Avalanche

Colorado rolls into this matchup on a 10-game home winning streak and fresh off a 6-2 demolition of Florida, while Nashville has quietly taken six of its last eight, including a 4-3 shootout win over these same Avs on Tuesday and a 7-2 hammering of St. Louis that showcased Steven Stamkos’ four-goal explosion. With current rosters confirmed, the key injuries tilt slightly toward Colorado’s depth — Joel Kiviranta is a game-time question and Logan O’Connor remains out — but Nashville is missing prospect forwards Ozzy Wiesblatt and Zachary L’Heureux, leaving both teams’ main scoring cores (MacKinnon, Makar, Necas, Nelson for Colorado; Forsberg, Stamkos, O’Reilly, Evangelista for Nashville) intact. Historically, MacKinnon, Makar and Nelson have shredded the Predators, combining for well over a point per game each in their careers against Nashville, and MacKinnon has already passed 50 points and just broke the franchise goal record while driving the league’s top offense. Even with Nashville’s recent surge and some revenge confidence from that shootout win, Colorado’s 22-2-7 overall mark, dominant 4.0 goals per game profile, and elite home form justify laying the heavy number, especially with Mackenzie Blackwood in better form than Juuse Saros so far this season. We’re still short of the 41-game halfway mark so playoff desperation isn’t fully ramped, but the gap between first-place Colorado and 14th-place Nashville in the West keeps the motivational edge real for the Avalanche to protect home ice and the conference lead. I grade Avalanche -350 on the moneyline as an A- play: very high win probability with modest but acceptable value for parlays or as a anchor piece rather than a standalone bet. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 13/12/2025 09:58

Both teams’ recent forms scream offense: Colorado is averaging around 4 goals per game and just hung six on Florida, while Nashville has rediscovered its scoring touch with 2.6 goals per game on the season but 11 goals in the past two outings, including seven against St. Louis and four against Colorado in Tuesday’s shootout win. On the roster front, neither team is missing a primary finisher — MacKinnon, Makar and Necas are all active for the Avalanche, as are Stamkos, Forsberg, O’Reilly and Evangelista for the Predators — and the injuries skew toward depth wingers and prospects rather than top-six firepower, which should keep both power plays and top lines intact. Historically, Colorado’s stars have torched Nashville: MacKinnon, Makar and Nelson all carry strong lifetime numbers against the Predators, and that has already translated into a 3-0 Avalanche win in the first meeting and a 4-3 Nashville win in the second, splitting the series but averaging 5.5 goals in regulation plus shootout leverage. Factor in Juuse Saros’ middling save percentage versus Blackwood’s stronger numbers, plus the Avalanche’s league-best shot generation and Nashville’s willingness to trade chances during this hot stretch, and a push at exactly six feels more likely than a clean under, with upside for a 4-3 or 5-2 type scoreline. With both teams still shy of the 41-game mark, this isn’t a playoff-level clampdown spot yet, which further supports an open, chance-heavy style. I grade Over 6 at -125 as a B+ play: the number is sharp but the offensive trends, healthy star talent, and matchup history lean toward at least six goals with a good chance to clear. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 13/12/2025 09:58

Colorado’s 10-game home win streak has featured multiple multi-goal victories, including the recent 6-2 rout of Florida and a 3-0 shutout of Nashville in their first meeting, which underscores how often the Avalanche turn wins into comfortable covers. Nashville’s current heater — six wins in eight, highlighted by that 7-2 blowout of St. Louis and a 4-3 shootout win over Colorado — does raise the risk of another one-goal divisional grind, but the confirmed rosters and injury reports suggest the Predators are still leaning heavily on Saros and a top-heavy forward group while the Avs roll four lines with only depth wings (Kiviranta questionable, O’Connor out) missing. Historically, MacKinnon and Makar’s damage against Nashville, combined with Nelson’s strong track record versus the Predators, points to Colorado having the higher ceiling in this matchup, especially in Denver where their shot volume and transition game tend to snowball late in games. With the Avalanche leading the West and Nashville still trying to climb from the bottom half of the conference well before the 41-game cutoff, the structural gap between these teams remains large enough that an empty-net scenario or late surge could turn a one-goal edge into a puckline cover. I grade Colorado -1.5 at -135 as a B play: solid upside on a team that frequently wins by margin at home, but recent one-goal tilt in Nashville and Saros’ ability to steal periods keep it a notch below the moneyline and total. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 13/12/2025 09:58