Kraken vs Avalanche Game 1 Odds, Lines & Spread
- Colorado is a -195 moneyline favorite in the Kraken vs Avalanche odds for Game 1 of their First Round Playoff series
- The Avalanche are -300 favorites to win this best-of-seven game series
- Get the latest Kraken vs Avalanche Game 1 odds here, plus injury news and Same-Game Parlay picks
The Avalanche begin their Stanley Cup title defense on Tuesday, hosting the Kraken in Game 1 of their opening round playoff series.
Colorado was the Central Division champion this season for the third consecutive campaign, en route to recording the West’s second-most points. Seattle, on the other hand, is playoff bound for the first time in franchise history, in just its second NHL season.
Online sportsbooks don’t expect a lengthy playoff run for the newcomers, as the defending champs are big favorites in Tuesday’s NHL odds, and in the series props market.
Kraken vs Avalanche Game 1 Odds
| Team | Puck Line | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle Kraken | +1.5 (-165) | +165 | O 6 (-110) |
| Colorado Avalanche | -1.5 (+140) | -195 | U 6 (-110) |
The Avalanche are currently -195 moneyline favorites, in a contest with a total of 6. Puck drop is scheduled for 10pm ET at Ball Arena in Denver, CO, with ESPN providing the broadcast coverage nationwide.
The Avalanche vs Kraken series odds also show the Avs as large favorites to advance.
Odds as of April 17 at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Kraken vs Avalanche Betting Splits
Predictably, Colorado is getting a ton of love in the NHL betting trends. The defending champs are getting hammered by the public, and if it continues online sportsbooks will likely have to alter their lines.
93% of the moneyline bets are backing the Avs as of Monday night, while the puck line splits are nearly as lopsided. 84% of those tickets are on Colorado, and those wagers make up 85% of the puck line handle.
Total wise, bettors don’t think six goals is high enough. Over six goals is currently drawing 80% of all money that’s been wagered on the total.
Kraken vs Avalanche Injuries
The Avalanche are aiming to become just the third team to capture back-to-back titles in the salary cap era (since 2005). In order to do so, they’ll need to overcome some key injuries.
For starters, captain Gabriel Landeskog is done for the season due to a knee injury. Forwards Andrew Cogliano and Denis Malgin are listed as day-to-day, but are expected to be available for Game 1.
On the blue line, both Josh Manson and Cale Makar are good to go. Manson (lower body) hasn’t played since March 1st, while Markar (lower body) has been out since April 1st.
Cale Makar says he’s good to go for Game 1.
— Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) April 17, 2023
As for the Kraken, former Avalanche winger Andrew Burakovsky (lower body) was placed on injured reserve last week, while fellow winger Daniel Sprong (undisclosed) is day-to-day.
Colorado begins the playoffs with the second shortest price in the Stanley Cup odds at +650, but you have to think that number would be lower if Landeskog was available.
Kraken vs Avalanche Betting Stats
There’s no shortage of firepower on either side. Both Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon eclipsed the 100-point mark this season, with MacKinnon doing so in just 71 games. His 1.56 points per game was the third highest mark in the league this season, while both stars cracked the 40-goal plateau.
Makar, last year’s playoff MVP, was Colorado’s third leading scorer, racking up 66 points in 60 games. The 24-year-old is the fastest defenseman in NHL history to 200 points, breaking the previous mark set by Sergei Zubov.
Seattle features a 40-goal scorer of its own in Jared McCann, and six players that lit the lamp at least 20 times. The Kraken’s biggest asset is its depth, as their fourth line accounted for 51 goals this season.
I don’t feel like enough people are talking about the fact the Alexander Georgiev just had one of the greatest seasons for a goaltender in Avalanche history. #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/YQuh9IlElk
— Christian Bolle (@christian_bolle) April 15, 2023
In net, the advantage has to go to Colorado. Alexander Georgiev is fresh off a 40-win season, tied for the second most in franchise history. He posted a career-best 2.53 GAA this past season, and the sixth-best save percentage in the NHL (.919).
As for Seattle, former Avs netminder Philipp Grubauer split duties with Martin Jones this season. You know what they say, if you have two goalies you have none.
Kraken vs Avalanche 2022-23 H2H Results
| Date | Away Team | Home Team | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 21, 2022 | Seattle | Colorado | SEA, 3-2 |
| Jan. 21, 2023 | Colorado | Seattle | COL, 2-1 SO |
| Mar. 5, 2023 | Seattle | Colorado | SEA, 3-2 OT |
To the surprise of many, Seattle took the regular season series 2-1. All three games were decided by one goal, with both Georgiev and Makar playing in only two of the contests.
Kraken vs Avalanche Predictions
The Kraken took both matchups in Colorado, with two of the three games needing overtime. You could argue the merits of backing Seattle, especially on the puck line given those results, but playoff hockey is completely different beast.
The Avs hold a major advantage in terms of postseason experience, and we should expect them to make a statement in Game 1. This year’s version of the Avalanche are not as dynamic offensively as their championship season, but they have been better at keeping the puck out of their own net.
Kraken vs Avalanche Game 1 Same-Game Parlay
| Pick | Odds |
|---|---|
| Colorado Avalanche Moneyline | -185 |
| Seattle Kraken Under 2.5 Goals | -110 |
| Same-Game Parlay Odds | +105 |
Georgiev deserves a ton of credit for that, but the play in front of him has improved as well. Colorado had a better expected goals against rate in 2022-23 than last season, while yielding 21 fewer high danger scoring chances.
Expect them to silence the Kraken offensively in Game 1, and take the first step towards repeating as champions.
Pick: Same-Game Parlay (+105)
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As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
