Stars vs Avalanche Game 1 Odds & Picks – Aug 22
- The Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars will play Game 1 of their second round Series on Saturday
- Avs forward Nathan MacKinnon leads the postseason in points
- Read below for odds, analysis and our best betting prediction for Game 1
The Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars will kick off the second round of the playoffs on Saturday. Colorado clinched a spot in the next round by having their way with Arizona. On the flip side, Dallas had a fight on their hands before a 7 goal outburst ended Calgary’s hopes.
Stars vs Avalanche Game 1 Odds
| Team | Puck Line | Over/Under | Moneyline at DraftKings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Stars | +1.5 (-205) | O 5.5 (+108) | +138 |
| Colorado Avalanche | -1.5 (+170) | U 5.5 (-132) | -162 |
*odds taken August 21st
What can we expect in game one between the Avalanche and Stars? They value is in the details.
Avalanche Players Lead Several Stat Categories
Hockey coaches often circle the players on the opposition worthy of more attention. Stars interim head coach Rick Bowness better make sure he has some ink in his sharpie before heading to the white board. The postseason leader in points is Nathan MacKinnon, goals is Nazem Kadri, plus/minus is Cale Makar and goals against average is Philipp Grubauer. The common thread with those players is they all play for the Avalanche.
Nazem Kadri scored again.
This isn't surprising but WE'RE EXCITED.#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/RglChqPVIl
— x – Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) August 19, 2020
The fact all those stat leaders play for Colorado is particularly impressive when you consider they didn’t have a play-in series and only took five games to dispose of Arizona. A cynical person may chalk up the gaudy numbers to a weak first round opponent but I’m more of a glass half full kind of person. I think the Avalanche are entering the second round playing the best hockey of any team remaining and that’s why they keep piling up the points.
MacKinnon Playing Like an MVP
You can argue whether or not MacKinnon is the best player in the league but he’s definitely the best player without an MVP. He may not have a regular season trophy yet, but I’m sure he’d be okay with a Conn Smythe instead.
The @Avalanche would be scary even without Nathan MacKinnon (@Mackinnon9). #StanleyCup
🇺🇸: https://t.co/xKQsuR8YDj @NHLonNBCSports
🇨🇦: https://t.co/tpPpce9RPx @Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/b3aOlfoZUK— NHL (@NHL) August 19, 2020
The 24-year old Canadian tallied 10 points in five games against the Coyotes. In the clincher, he had two goals and two assists and took only 13:46 to do it. With Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin already eliminated, it appears to be MacKinnon’s chance to enjoy the spotlight. His speed and strength will be a problem all series, especially in the first game where Colorado has the advantage of two days rest.
Consider Betting the Puck Line In Game 1
Forget the fact Dallas hung a touchdown on an overmatched Cam Talbot in Game 6 of their first round series. The Stars ranked 26th in the league scoring only 2.58 goals per game. The Avalanche ranked fourth scoring 3.37 per game and have improved on that total in the playoffs.
A rested team full of superstars playing at their highest level with be a big problem right out of the gate in this series. Take Colorado and consider betting them on the Puck Line if your confidence level matches mine.
The Pick: Colorado Avalanche -1.5 (+170)
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.
