Free Picks: Colorado Avalanche vs. Los Angeles Kings

While the Kings are far away from a playoff berth, they can still break the hearts of their opposition. Facing a team like the Avalanche is never easy, but LA will attempt to capture their second win against Colorado this season. For this BetPicks prediction, I take a look at Colorado’s offensive efficiency against mediocre teams.

In four games this season, the Kings have managed to defeat the Colorado Avalanche on one occasion.

Friday night, the Kings will attempt to prove that despite being a bottom feeder, they can still compete with top NHL teams.

With that being said, I think for this NHL prediction I want to stay away from the Moneyline and the puck line.

I don’t like the value of the Moneyline. The risk/reward isn’t that great. It’s obvious that the Avs are heavy favorites in this contest. Even if they do manage to win straight up, you’ll need to bet a hefty amount to see a decent return.

I am also staying away from the puck line due to the NHL’s parity. While I fully expect the Avalanche to win, I am unsure if they can cover the line. We’ve seen tons of games this season end by one goal, which means the Avalanche won’t cover if you decide to go with the favorite.

However, there is one bet that I am confident with: home team goals.

Taking on a team like the Kings, the over in total goals for Colorado is currently listed at 3.5.

Looking at past games between the Kings and Avalanche, Colorado has scored 4 goals just once. Even though signs are pointing to the Avs scoring 3 goals or less, I am confident in Colorado hitting the over.

If you look at previous games in which the Avalanche have played terrible teams, they have dominated on the board. 9 goals against Arizona, 8 goals against Anaheim, and 7 goals against San Jose all jump out at me.

Colorado is due to strike. While I don’t think Colorado will hit an insane number in goals, I do think it’s their time to bury the Kings.

LA has been able to avoid a staggering defeat like the Ducks, Coyotes, and Sharks, but they have also participated in many games in which the opposition’s goalscoring has been out of hand.

The Kings are not a defensive team, which is why I think taking the over in-home team goals will be your best NHL bet for this game.

• Colorado averages 3.58 goals per game.
• The Avalanche rank 1^st in home offense.
• The Kings rank 17^th in road defense.
• LA ranks 25^th in total shots against.