Avalanche vs Capitals Odds, Picks and How to Bet
- The Washington Capitals (1-0-1) host the Colorado Avalanche (1-1-0) on Tuesday at 7pm ET
- Colorado will be without star players Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog
- Below are the odds and team previews to help settle on the best bet available
Two Stanley Cup contenders are set to battle it out at Capital One Arena on Tuesday night.
The Capitals host the Avalanche in the most anticipated game on a busy night of NHL action. Washington is listed as a slim favorite due to being home ice and Colorado being without one of the games biggest super stars.
Avalanche vs Capitals Odds
| Game Time | Team | Puck Line | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7pm ET | Colorado Avalanche | +1.5 (-245) | O 6.5 (-102) | +110 |
| Washington Capitals | -1.5 (+198) | U 6.5 (-120) | -130 |
Odds as of October 18th at DraftKings
NHL picks are all about deciding who has the edge on a given night. Let’s take a deep dive into both the Avalanche and Capitals to settle on the best value bet available.
MacKinnon-Less Avalanche NHL Betting Analysis
Nathan MacKinnon tested positive for Covid-19 and did not make the trip to Washington. One of the league premier offensive players, MacKinnon will miss his third straight game on Tuesday night. His absence opens up ice-time for other Colorado forwards, in particular center Nazem Kadri. He appears to be enjoying the extra ice-time, leading the team with four points in two games.
One other Covid-19 related note, head coach Jared Bednar is back with the team after previously having tested positive.
In addition to MacKinnon, the Avalanche will also be without captain Gabriel Landeskog, who is serving a two-game suspension.
Little Landeskog is ready for hockey! 😆 #NHLFaceOff
(📷 @Avalanche, @GabeLandeskog92) pic.twitter.com/v5Qf0lsHHs
— NHL (@NHL) October 11, 2021
Expect to see new goaltender Darcy Kuemper in goal for a third straight game. The Avalanche acquired Kuemper from the Arizona Coyotes after losing last year’s starter Philipp Grubauer in free agency. Kuemper is a trendy pick to win the Vezina Trophy but has been average out of the gate. He enters Tuesday’s game with a 1-1-0 record, 3.10 goals against average and .902 save percentage.
Capitals NHL Odds & Betting Analysis
Alex Ovechkin is beginning to look like hockey’s version of Tom Brady. He may only have the one championship, but his ability to produce at a high age is one very rarely seen on the ice. He signed a five year extension with Washington that will take him until he’s 41 years old.
Anze Kopitar (@LAKings), Alex Ovechkin (@Capitals) and Steven Stamkos (@TBLightning) have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Oct. 17.#NHLStats: https://t.co/vcgYYIVFLU pic.twitter.com/3k9IriOdzj
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) October 18, 2021
So far, it’s proving to be a wise move by the Capitals. The nine-time Rocket Richard winner has three goals in two games and is once again a threat to contend for that award. The three goals are tied for third best in the league with Connor McDavid and Steven Stamkos.
Avalanche vs Capitals Recent Results
| Date | Home-Away | Money Line | Puck Line | Over/Under |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2/13/20 | COL 2 – WAS 3 | WAS (+119) | WAS | U 6.5 |
| 10/14/19 | WAS 3 – COL 6 | COL (+125) | COL | O 6.0 |
| 2/7/19 | WAS 4 – COL 3 (OT) | WAS (-139) | COL | O 6.5 |
| 11/16/18 | COL 2 – WAS 3 (OT) | WAS (+138) | WAS | U 6.0 |
| 12/12/17 | WAS 5 – COL 2 | WAS (-189) | WAS | O 5.5 |
Ovechkin was awarded the second star of the week by the NHL and should figure prominently in this match up with the Avalanche. He will continue to be heavily relied upon while linemate Nicklas Backstrom remains sidelined with a hip injury.
In goal, it’s the NHL’s lowest-paid starting goaltender Vitek Vanecek. The Capitals’ youngster is making only $716k this year and has started both games for the team. He’s sporting a 1-0-1 record with a 1.44 goals against average and .938 save percentage. Washington’s advantage in getting high quality goaltending on the cheap, is they have more money to spend on the rest of their roster. Their team is one of the deepest in the league, thanks in large part to spending less than $3 million on their goalie tandem.
Avalanche vs Capitals Prediction and Pick
NHL predictions can be difficult, but major injuries tend to make things a little easier to forecast. Colorado is missing several key pieces and brings an undermanned squad to one of the toughest buildings in the league. At full strength this could be a different story, but as it stands the Capitals should be able to come away with two points. Avoid the temptation to take the puck line and stick to taking Washington to win on the money line at -130 in the NHL odds.
The Pick: Washington Capitals (-130)
Ryan has been working at TSN for over eleven years, and is now a lead writer and content producer at That's Hockey. Over the years, he's launched and hosted TSN's first NCAAF podcast, The College Football Show, and been featured on the likes of TSN 1050, Sportscentre, and That's Hockey 2Nite.
