NHL Playoffs Game Two: Avalanche vs Jets Preview
Jets Scored Seven Times to Squeeze Past Avalanche to Lead Series 1-0
The Colorado Avalanche (0-1) looks to draw even with the Winnipeg Jets (1-0) in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. The Jets outlasted Colorado 7-6 in game one after leading 6-3 deep into the third period.
Oddsmakers have made this match-up -110 each way with a total of 6 (over -115). The Avalanche outshot the Jets 46-23 in the game-one loss. Puck drop is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET/ 6:30 p.m. PT and can be seen on ESPN and Altitude. Let’s start our Avalanche vs Jets Preview.
Avalanche vs Jets 
Location: Canada Life Garden
Day/Time: Streaming: ESPN, Altitude
Avalanche Goaltender the Focus of Game Two
It was entertaining hockey scores if nothing else. Usually, when you put up six goals in the NHL, it’s enough to get a victory. That was not the case in game one when the Winnipeg Jets beat Avalanche goaltender Alexander Georgiev (38-18-5, 3.02, .897) seven times on just 23 shots. If there was a weak spot with Colorado heading into the postseason it was their goaltending but they were hoping to do what the Dallas Stars have had to do at times this season and control the puck long enough to take the pressure off whoever was between the pipes.
Bettors started to see the cracks in Georgiev’s game late in the season when the Russian goaltender went cold with a 2-5 run, allowing 28 goals (4.00 goals per game). The 25-year-old was run after just 20 minutes in a 7-4 win against the Nashville Predators on March 30th, it may have been the best indication of what was to come with the Avalanche having to put up seven goals just to overcome the three first period goals given up by Georgiev.
Game one was the second time Jared Bednar’s goalie has given up seven goals this season (November 4th, 7-0 loss to Vegas). Bednard may go with Justus Annunen (8-4-1, 2.25, .928) in game two but there’s nothing in stone. Georgiev was left in goal for all seven goals because Annunen was unable to after falling ill, prospect Arvid Holm served as the backup although he has yet to play a minute in the NHL.
Our gut feeling is he’ll go back with Georgiev in game two. Colorado is now just 3-5 in the postseason over the last two years. Game two is pivotal for obvious reasons, but that puts them in a spot they haven’t found success in and that’s winning playoff games at home where they’ve dropped three of their last four.
Jets Can’t Forget Who They Are
The NHL playoff picture wasn’t less than clear for the Winnipeg Jets until they ripped off 8-straight wins to end the regular season to grab the second spot in the Central Division. They continued that streak after a game one win but seasoned bettors will tell you what happened in game one has very little to do with what will happen in game two.
Honesty, the Colorado Avalanche was the stronger of the two teams but that wasn’t good enough to even claim a moral victory. Both Rick Bowness and Bednar know that this series will be won on defense. Bowness should confidently know that his club is in a better spot than Colorado to tighten defensively after allowing just 2.42 goals per game in the regular season (tied for #1 overall with Florida).
Much of that success came from the stellar goaltending of Connor Hellebuyck (37-19-4, 2.39, .921) who has now won six straight games although it was the first time since March 26th that the 2-time all-star gave up more than three goals. Bettors need to be careful in game two because the Jets have never been a good playoff team with an 18-27 record since 2015 and 9-15 since 2019. Most of their trouble has come at home with seven losses in their last 10 games in their barn.
Trends On The Side Of Winnipeg
With this game a pick, the betting history will tell you that the Jets are the side but that isn’t what the betting public thinks after the consensus number went from Winnipeg -115 to -110 each way. Home teams when each side is -110 are 16-9 (+5.54 units) since the 2006 postseason and 8-5 (+2.28 units) over the last three seasons.
Winnipeg is 1-1 at home while the Avalanche are 0-1 after game one closed -110 each way. During the regular season, -110 home teams were just 12-14 overall but a decent 44-31 since the 2021-22 season. 53% of the money is on Colorado with plenty of wagering to be done, but when Colorado receives the majority of the money wagered in the postseason they haven’t disappointed with 7.96 units won behind a 35-14 record.
The Jets are 9-10 when receiving less than 50% of the money wagered in the postseason since 2018. With both teams providing valid reasons why they deserve your money, we’re backing the Avalanche in game two as our official NHL picks. That does it for our Avalanche vs Jets Preview, all the best with your postseason picks and parlays.
Avalanche vs Jets Puckline
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