Oilers vs Avalanche Betting Preview (Game 2): Scoring Blitz Continues

It’s rare for a much-hyped NHL game to go beyond what is expected. But that’s what the Colorado and Edmonton did as they combined for 14 goals in Game 1. The Oilers vs Avalanche betting preview expects the goal-scoring to continue, especially with streaking superstars and inconsistent goaltending.

Oilers vs Avalanche Game 2 Info

• Game: Edmonton Oilers (49-27-6) vs Colorado Avalanche (56-19-7)
• Location: Ball Arena
• Day/Time: Thursday, 8:00 p.m. ET
• Television: TNT

Oilers Facing Deja Vu With Game 1 Woes

The Edmonton Oilers find themselves in a similar spot as they did to start their last series: Losing Game 1 despite scoring six goals. For lengthy stretches in Colorado, Oilers goalie Mike Smith didn’t look like he could buy a save as Colorado quickly scored six goals until he was pulled.

Mikko Koskinen acquitted himself better by saving 20 of the 21 shots he faced. The goaltender change did swing the momentum of the game as Edmonton roared back to score three straight goals before conceding an empty-netter with just over 20 seconds remaining.

For Smith and the Oilers, this is the third straight Game 1 they have lost. The 40-year-old has been tremendous in the playoffs but has been terrible in series openers. Smith has an 81.4 save percentage (SV%) in his three Game 1s. The good news is, he has followed all of these with a stellar Game 2 as his SV% climbs to 95.7. For the Oilers’ sake, this NHL betting odds trend should continue.

An Avalanche of Offense

The Colorado Avalanche proved why they are the Stanley Cup favorites on Tuesday. Colorado outshot, out-possessed, and out-chanced the Oilers thanks to their depth. While Connor McDavid’s line got their own, the complexion of the game changed once they left the ice. Every other Oiler spent more time in their zone.

This is just the beginning for Colorado which leads the playoffs in Corsi and scoring chance ratios. Darcy Kuemper struggled in the net and got hurt. But that hardly mattered as Colorado owned Game 1 even with the late rally from the Oilers. Pavel Francouz could return in net and while he wasn’t that great, Colorado is 36-14-5 all-time with him.

Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, and Gabriel Landeskog matched Edmonton’s star players in terms of production. The difference came with the likes of J.T. Compher, Nazem Kadri, and Andrew Cogliano also scoring. As long as Colorado’s secondary players continue to contribute, this team will constantly be favored on Oilers vs Avalanche betting previews.

Offside Or Not?

Game 1 did not pass without some controversy. Makar scored late in the first period to give Colorado a 3-2 lead. Fans and media alike were in disbelief as Makar appeared to be offside. In what turned out to be a close game near the end, many speculate if the outcome would have changed had the call gone the other way.

Upon closer inspection, there is a logical explanation as to why Makar’s goal was allowed. Without going too much into details, Makar’s goal was indeed a legitimate one. No amount of whining from fans or media would change that. Edmonton Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft will shrug it off and gameplan for the next.

Oilers vs Avalanche Betting Trends

As the last Oilers vs Avalanche betting preview foreshadowed, star players dominated Game 1. Connor McDavid and Cale Makar both had three points. Leon Draisaitl and Nathan MacKinnon also had multi-point games.

The last two games between Colorado and Edmonton have produced a total of 23 goals. But the three games prior to that only averaged 4.3 goals on average. In fact, Game 1 had more goals scored (14) than these games combined (13).

The total has gone over in five of Edmonton’s last seven road games. Four of Colorado’s last five games have also gone over. After Game 1, Colorado and Edmonton are now the two highest-scoring teams in the playoffs.

Colorado has won four of its last five home games against Edmonton. The Oilers are 2-2 as an underdog in these playoffs thus far.