Vegas Golden Knights vs Colorado Avalanche

With Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon skating in top form, the Avs are looking to hold their ground at Ball Arena against a Knights squad that's breaking hot. The Golden Knights come in on a two-game winning streak, including a tight OT win, and riding a recent stretch of strong play, but they may be without power forward Jonathan Marchessault, who’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury—his absence could hurt them against a Colorado side they’ve split the season series with. The Avalanche, coming off a recent loss, still own a 25-11-3 home record and can lean on solid netminding from Alexandar Georgiev, who has allowed just six goals total in his last three home starts. This game has Western Conference playoff seeding implications, and Colorado tends to shine in these high-leverage matchups, particularly at altitude. With home-ice advantage and the firepower to match Vegas stride-for-stride, the smart pick lies with the Avs. Recommendation: Bet Colorado Avalanche at -135 for moderate value; this pick gets a solid Grade B. Odds and availability are subject to change.

With the Avs coming off a loss and the Knights having bounced back from a mini-skid with two wins, Colorado welcomes Vegas in what may be a playoff preview. Colorado’s elite scoring trio of Mikko Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon, and Valeri Nichushkin continues to thrive, especially at home, where the Avalanche average over 4 goals per game and hold a 25-11-3 record at Ball Arena. Vegas, meanwhile, will be missing Shea Theodore on the blue line, leaving their back end vulnerable against one of the NHL’s most balanced attacks. On the flip side, Jonathan Marchessault remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury, while Jack Eichel has returned to full strength, adding punch to the Sin City offense. With both teams jostling for playoff seeding and deploying lethal power plays in the league’s top 10, expect energy and urgency to drive offense. Goaltending could struggle to contain the tempo, as Alexandar Georgiev and Adin Hill have been inconsistent of late. All signs are leaning toward a high-speed track meet in the Rockies. Odds and availability are subject to change.

The Avs enter this matchup looking to rebound from a recent loss, and they’ll need to find their stride with the playoffs approaching. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights have built some momentum, winning two straight and tightening their grip on postseason positioning. Colorado’s offense continues to produce through the leadership of Nathan MacKinnon, who boasts impressive lifetime stats against Vegas, and the team’s home-ice advantage at Ball Arena remains a clear asset. Adin Hill remains day-to-day for the Golden Misfits, and while Logan Thompson has been serviceable in goal, he’s shown inconsistency under pressure—and with playoff seeding on the line, that’s a risky bet. Gabriel Landeskog remains out, but the Avs' depth has stepped up, especially with Ross Colton and Artturi Lehkonen providing clutch scoring. The puckline is ambitious, but with the high altitude advantage and the Knights struggling to match up at Ball Arena where they’ve historically trailed, this feels like the kind of tight game that becomes a late pull-away for the Avalanche. Puckline pick gets a Grade B: solid value at +180, though the hook is risky against Vegas' grind-it-out defense. Odds and availability are subject to change.