Welcome to NHL Predictions! It is the final weekend of March. April begins next week. The regular season is almost over. Before long, we will know which 16 teams will be competing for the Stanley Cup. The push for the playoffs continues today. We have an exciting matchup in the Western Conference to look at today. The St. Louis Blues are on the road against the Colorado Avalanche.
NHL Predictions
St. Louis Blues vs. Colorado Avalanche
Time: 4:30 P.M. EDT
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Midwest, Altitude Sports Network
Season Series: 1-1
The Blues and Avalanche meet for the third time this season. The two teams have split the first two meetings. The Avs won the first meeting in January, 5-0. The Blues returned the favor in February, winning 3-1.
The two meets twice more before the end of the regular season. After Saturday, the teams will conclude the regular-season series in St. Louis on April 5th.
Blues Control Their Destiny
The Blues rallied from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Nashville Predators on Thursday. That, combined with the Dallas Stars victory over the Calgary Flames, have given the Blues the opportunity to control their own destiny.
However, there is not much wriggle room at the moment. To ensure no team can pass the Blues in the standings, the Blues need to win all remaining eight games in regulation. Doing so would clinch them a playoff spot. However, one loss or even going to overtime could take the control out of the Blues hands.
The teams chasing the Blues in the standings, the Flames and the Vancouver Canucks, are in action this weekend. By the time this weekend ends, it will be interesting to see if the Blues are still control of their fate. Furthermore, it will be interesting to see how the Western Conference playoff picture is looking by Monday morning.
Avs Seeking Home Ice
The Avalanche have not yet clinched a playoff spot yet. However, it will take a collapse for the team to not make the playoffs. As such, the team’s focus is on home ice for the first round. The Avalanche trail the Stars by five points for the Central Division’s second spot, which guarantees home ice in round one.
The bad news for the Avs is that of their seven remaining games, all but two are against teams fighting for a playoff spot. Furthermore, the Avalanche will not play the Stars in that stretch, thus taking away a head-to-head matchup. It will not be easy for the Avalanche to gain home ice. However, even if they fail to grab the second seed, this stretch of meaningful hockey could help prepare the Avalanche for the playoffs.
Prediction
Both teams enter Saturday on a winning streak. The Avs have won four in a row while the Blue Note have won eight. A streak will end while another continues.
We are going to continue to pick the Blues until the evidence says otherwise. The team is bound to lose at some point, but we are going to let that happen before we pick against them.
Blues win, 4-2.
Prop Bets
The over/under is set at 5.5 goals. We are taking the over with six goals.
For prop bets, we are taking Cale Makar as anytime-scorer for the Avalanche. For the Blues, we are going to pick Radek Faksa.
Main Photo: Jeff Curry- Imagn Images
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