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NHL Betting Previews | Spooky Express
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NHL Betting Picks and Predictions: Colorado Avalanche vs. New York Islanders

January 2, 2024



The New York Islanders (17-10-9) are battling for the second time of this season with the Colorado Avalanche (23-11-3) at 9:00 PM ET at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. The Avalanche are expected to do well with a moneyline at -170. 



New York Islanders Betting Preview

The Islanders have gone 2-3 over their most recent five games heading into this matchup. Their previous encounter was a 3-1 defeat against the Pittsburgh Penguins.



Brock Nelson leads the Islanders in scoring with 16 goals total this year. This ranks him 24th in the league, making him a quality scoring threat each night.



The Islanders are getting 3.03 goals and taking 30.1 shots a game. They have had solid power play performances, with 23 power play goals and 29 allowed. This has resulted in a power play percentage at 23.0.



Their defense has allowed 3.22 goals and 35.4 shot attempts from opponents. They cannot afford to let the Avalanche shoot that many times or this could get ugly fast, especially since their offense cannot catch up to their defense. They also feature a weaker penalty kill percentage at 73.1.



Colorado Avalanche Betting Preview

The Avalanche have gone 4-1 over their last five games, with a two-game win streak on the line as they enter this one. Their most recent win was a 3-1 showing against the San Jose Sharks.



Nathan MacKinnon has been outstanding for them offensively. He has put up 58 points, 19 goals, and 39 assists so far. Another strong performance here would be key to their success.



The Avalanche have scored 3.59 goals and have fired off 31.8 shots each game. Their power play performances have been slightly better than the Islanders at 33 goals scored and 21 allowed. This turns their power play percentage at 23.9.



Their defense has been allowing 2.97 goals and 28.8 shots from their opponents. This is a solid margin in comparison to their offense. They also have a penalty kill percentage at 83.6, which is a bit stronger than the Islanders.



Odds, Series Trends and Free Pick

MyBookie is offering their odds for this showdown, with the Colorado Avalanche as -170 favorites to win. Based on their last meeting, this should be another game where the offense is quite appealing from both teams.



The last time these two met was an offensive outburst in October. The Avalanche defeated the Islanders 7-4, scoring at least two goals per period.

 

By the way things look per stats for both teams, this could be another situation where the Avalanche win by at least two goals. Look for the Avalanche to pull through here.



Final Pick: Colorado Avalanche -170