Los Angeles Dodgers
Avalanche vs Blackhawks Game Preview, Odds, Picks & Predictions
Surging Colorado Looks to Bury Reeling Chicago
It’s a squash match for the Colorado Avalanche as they visit the Chicago Blackhawks, if we go by the latest NHL odds. Even taking into account the latest news, stats, and injury reports in this COVID era, Colorado is beginning to peak as it gets healthier while Chicago is going in the opposite direction.
Blackhawks Keep Going Down
Chicago was one of the few teams to arrive dead in the water for the 2021-22 NHL season. It lost its first nine games and 11 of its first dozen. After alternating wins and losses for the past two months, Chicago is back to its losing ways, having dropped four straight games.
Even with some big wins as an underdog, Chicago is still nearly five units down on the moneyline and is 3-6 as an underdog in its last nine games as one. In what is a competitive Central Division, Chicago joins Arizona as the two teams well out of the race.
Mired with issues on both ends of the ice, Chicago is averaging the third-fewest goals at home and is ranked in the bottom quarter of the league in 5v5 scoring metrics. Marc-Andre Fleury has been solid in net, but not even he can redeem this hapless team, which is approaching “must fade” territory on the sportsbook.
Avalanche Are Coming
It’s a little like deja vu for the Colorado Avalanche. This team started slow, going 4-5-1 in their first 10 games partly due to injuries. But while the absences did not stop, the Avalanche kept getting better and have compiled the NHL’s best record (14-3-1) since this subpar stretch.
Colorado has been averaging almost five goals a game with the second-best power-play percentage (PP%) at 31.1. There are at least six Avalanche players averaging more than a point per game and at least seven who are on pace to score 30 or more goals.
MacKinnon bringing the sauce 🔥 @Avalanche pic.twitter.com/1E9MUz74Gn
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) January 2, 2022
If we can nitpick Colorado, it would be their less-than-stellar performances on the road. Colorado is just 7-6-1 and 5-9 on the puck line away from home. The Avalanche are also just 3-3 in their last six road games as chalk so maybe ease up a little when betting online on Colorado’s road games.
Avalanche vs Blackhawks Head to Head
| Colorado | Stat | Chicago |
| 6-2-2 | Record | 4-6-0 |
| 4-5-1 | Over/Under | 4-5-1 |
| 3.60 | Average Score | 2.50 |
| 16.67% | Power Play % | 21.21% |
| 78.79% | Penalty Kill % | 83.33% |
Avalanche vs Blackhawks Game Information
- Date: Tuesday
- Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
- Location: United Center
- Colorado Avalanche vs Chicago Blackhawks Live Stream: NHL Live
Avalanche vs Blackhawks Betting Lines
| Colorado | Chicago | |
| -250 | Moneyline | +210 |
| 66.05% | Implied Probability | 33.95% |
| -1½
(Ev) |
Puck Line | +1½
(-120) |
| 6
(-110o) |
Total | 6
(-110u) |
Avalanche vs Blackhawks Prediction
While Colorado is not a slam-dunk bet on the road, the Blackhawks are not exactly begging to be bet even at these odds. The Avalanche have won four of their last five games in Chicago and all four of the wins came by two or more goals. In fact, they were all blowouts.
Colorado is still generating 4.44 goals in their last nine road games while the Blackhawks are getting outscored by at least a goal at home. It’s the Avalanche’s puckline or bust.
Pick: Colorado Avalanche -1½ (Ev)
The Avalanche’s struggles on the road are due to a lack of defense. Colorado is giving up over four goals on average when not at home. This team has been lit up for five or more goals in five of these occasions. While Chicago’s offense stinks, it may score enough to improve on Colorado’s road totals’ 10-3-1 record.
