Here are The Game Day’s Avalanche vs Blues Prediction and bets for the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, including our Colorado-St Louis Round 1 series preview.
Check out our 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs Power Rankings and 2021 Stanley Cup Winner Odds and Best Bets.
Avalanche vs Blues Prediction: 2021 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 1 Bet Picks Preview
Colorado Avalanche Season Recap
The Colorado Avalanche are arguably the best team in all of NHL hockey and I fully expect them to demonstrate that fact in the first round. They ended the season with 82 points in the standings, tying them with the Vegas Golden Knights in the West Division. A 39-13 record is a ridiculous feat, especially considering a +64 goal differential.
The Avalanche had five players accrue over 40 points this season, with two over 60 points. They were led by right wing Mikko Rantanen with 30 goals and 66 points. Center Nathan MacKinnon posted 65 points, including 45 assists, and left wing Gabriel Landeskog had 32 assists and 20 goals.
The Avalanche have one of the best goalies in the league in Phillipp Grubauer, a 29-year-old who put up a .922 save percentage and only allowed 1.95 goals per game this season.
St. Louis Blues Season Recap
The St. Louis Blues are not a weak hockey team by any stretch of the imagination, but the consensus view is that they will be made to look like one in this series. They are arguably the worst team in the playoffs. The Blues wound up making the playoffs with just 63 points to their credit, tied for the second-lowest of any team in the playoffs. Their -1 goal differential on the season makes them one of only two playoff teams to end the season with a negative in that department.
The St. Louis Blues got tons of production from veteran left wing David Perron (19 goals, 39 assists) and center Ryan O’Reilly (24 goals, 30 assists).
Goalie Jordan Binnington had an off-year in 2020-2021 in terms of goals allowed per game, a measure in which he posted a 2.65 mark. His save percentage of .910 was still solid, but he did allow plenty of goals per game.
Avalanche vs Blues Matchup
This matchup is arguably the one with the biggest divide in the playoffs. The Avalanche should handle the Blues with ease. The key word there is ‘should’ considering anything can happen in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
I don’t see this one going past five games as the Avalanche have the Blues dominated in every facet of the game and demonstrated it throughout the regular season.
Avalanche vs Blues Prediction & Bet Pick
Avalanche vs Blues Series Prediction
Avalanche to win series in 4 games
Avalanche vs Blues Bet Pick
Avalanche to win series 4-0 (+425) from BetMGM
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