Colorado Avalanche vs Minnesota Wild Prediction 5/9/2026 Today’s NHL Picks

The Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild meet Saturday in NHL Game 3 at the Grand Casino Arena. Here’s a Colorado Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild Prediction. This article will include a Colorado Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild Pick.

Colorado Avalanche Betting Preview

The Colorado Avalanche look to remain undefeated in the playoffs to take a 3-0 series lead. The Avalanche have won 9 straight games.

The Colorado Avalanche are averaging 4.50 goals per game and are scoring on 22.2 percent of their power play opportunities. Nathan MacKinnon leads Colorado with 4 goals, Martin Necas has 6 assists, and Cale Makar has 16 shots on goal. Defensively, the Colorado Avalanche are allowing 2.17 goals per game and are killing 85.7 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Scott Wedgewood has given up 13 goals on 168 shots faced.

Minnesota Wild Betting Preview

The Minnesota Wild look for a third straight home win to get back in this series. The Wild have lost 4 of their last 7 games.

The Minnesota Wild are averaging 3.88 goals per game and are scoring 13.3 percent of their power play opportunities. Matt Boldy leads Minnesota with 6 goals, Kirill Kaprizov has 8 assists and Ryan Hartman has 26 shots on goal. Defensively, the Minnesota Wild are allowing 3.63 goals per game and are killing 59.4 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Jesper Wallstedt has allowed 22 goals on 227 shots faced, and Filip Gustavsson has given up 4 goals on 22 shots.

Why the Minnesota Wild will win

• The Wild have won five of their last six games as home underdogs against Western Conference opponents.
• The Avalanche have lost 12 of their last 23 games as road favorites against Central Division opponents.
• The Wild have covered the puck line in each of their last nine Saturday games as underdogs.
• The Avalanche have failed to cover the puck line in six of their last seven night games at Grand Casino Arena following a win.
• The Avalanche have lost the second period in four of their last five games at Grand Casino Arena following a home win.

Why the Colorado Avalanche will win

• The Avalanche have won each of their last nine games.
• The Wild have lost four of their last five games following a road loss.
• The Wild have failed to cover the puck line in each of their last seven games at Grand Casino Arena against opponents on a winning streak.
• The Avalanche have covered the puck line in each of their last four games.
• The Wild have lost the third period in five of their last six games as underdogs against Central Division opponents when trailing after the second period.

Total Goals Facts

• Seven of the Wild’s last eight night games against Central Division opponents have gone OVER the total goals line.
• Each of the Avalanche’s last five road games against the Wild following a win have gone UNDER the total goals line.
• Each of the last four games between two teams from the Central Division has gone OVER the total goals line.
• The ‘Over 1.5 Goals Period 1’ market has hit in each of the Wild’s last six home games against opponents on a winning streak.
• The ‘Over 1.5 Goals Period 1’ market has hit in seven of the Avalanche’s last eight games as favorites against Central Division opponents.

Minnesota Wild Player Prop Facts

• Matthew Boldy has scored at least one goal in four of his last five appearances at Grand Casino Arena.
• Quinn Hughes has recorded at least one assist in seven of his last eight appearances with the Wild as underdogs against Central Division opponents.
• Mats Zuccarello has scored two goals against the Avalanche this season—equal to his most against any opponent.

Colorado Avalanche Player Prop Facts

• Gabriel Landeskog has recorded at least one assist in each of his last four appearances with the Avalanche as favorites against the Wild.
• Nathan MacKinnon has scored a goal in each of the Avalanche’s last six playoff games as favorites against Central Division opponents.
• Nathan MacKinnon ranks 1st in the league for multi-goal games (14) this season.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Minnesota Wild are one of seven teams to rank in the top 10 for both goals scored and goals conceded per game this season.
• The Minnesota Wild rank 2nd in the league in save percentage this season (.909).
• The Colorado Avalanche rank 1st in the league in penalty kill percentage this season (84.62%).
• The Colorado Avalanche are one of only three teams in the league to rank top 5 for both goals for and goals against per game this season.

Colorado Avalanche vs Minnesota Wild Injury Report

The Avs will be without Joel Kiviranta. Josh Manson is questionable with an upper body injury.

The Wild will be without Jonas Brodin. Zach Bogosian and Joel Eriksson Ek are questionable with lower-body injuries.

Colorado Avalanche vs Minnesota Wild Prediction

Usually I’d consider the Wild at home in a must-win game, as they’re a good team that’s played great hockey at home. These have also been high-scoring games, so a bounce here or a bounce there and the Wild are in a better spot. However, the Wild are banged up and continue to struggle defending against these Avalanche. In five of the last 10 games against the Wild, the Avalanche have scored at least five goals. They’ve scored 14 goals in the first two games of this series. We also don’t get the Avalanche at prices this cheap often. I say take advantage of it while you can. Give me the Avs for a 3-0 series lead.

Randy Chambers's Pick: Colorado Avalanche