St. Louis Blues (55-26-12) vs Colorado Avalanche (63-20-8)
Game Info: Friday, May 27, 2022 at 8:00 pm (Enterprise Center)
Betting Odds: St. Louis Blues +155 / Colorado Avalanche -170 --- Over/Under: 6.5 Click Here for the Latest Odds
The St. Louis Blues host the Colorado Avalanche in Friday NHL Second Round Action.
The Colorado Avalanche have another opportunity to close out their second-round series against St. Louis, as they dropped game 5 by a score of 5 to 4. During the regular season, the Avalanche found the net 312 times, good for a rank of 3rd among NHL teams. Heading into the game, Colorado is the 7th ranked defensive team, allowing opponents to score at an average rate of 2.83 goals per game. For the year, the Avalanche have a strength of schedule rating of 26th in the league. When diving into their opponent-adjusted scoring margin, they come into this game as the 3rd ranked team in the NHL.
The St. Louis Blues will look to pick up their 2nd win in a row vs Colorado, and keep their season alive. During the regular season, the Blues scored 311 goals, giving them an average of 3.77. This output gives them a rank of 4th among NHL teams. On defense, St. Louis is the 11th ranked unit, giving up 2.91 goals per contest. For the year, the Blues have played the 28th toughest schedule in the league. And, when taking into account St. Louis's scoring margin relative to the quality of their competition, they come in with a power ranking of 5th in the NHL.
Through 75 games, the Colorado Avalanche goal and overall scoring leader is Mikko Rantanen, with 92 points. He has reached his mark of 36 goals, on a shooting percentage of 14.2%. So far, 44.0% of his goals have come during power play time. Behind him is Nathan MacKinnon, who has 56 assists to go along with his 32 goals. While on the ice, his offensive production has led to a plus-minus rating of +22. Colorado's top goalie is Darcy Kuemper, who is giving up an average of 2.54 goals per game. In his 57 games played, he has turned in 32 quality starts, giving him a quality start percentage above the league average.
Through 75 games, the St. Louis Blues' goal and overall scoring leader is Vladimir Tarasenko, with 82 points. He has reached his mark of 34 goals, on a shooting percentage of 14.8%. So far, 15.0% of his goals have come during power play time. Behind him is Robert Thomas, who has 57 assists to go along with his 20 goals. While on the ice, his offensive production has led to a plus-minus rating of +17.0. St. Louis's top goalie is Ville Husso, who is giving up an average of 2.56 goals per game. In his 40 games played, he has turned in 23 quality starts, giving him a quality start percentage above the league average.
Heading into game 6, the over-under betting line sits at 6.5 goals. The last 3 contests between Colorado and St. Louis have gone over this line, including 2 straight games totaling 9 goals scored. Look for this trend to continue, as Colorado is averaging 5.3 goals per game over the last 3 contests. I recommend taking the over.
Joe’s Pick Over 6.5 Goals
AUTHOR: Joe Kiemen
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