Game: Colorado Avalanche @ Edmonton Oilers
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Odds: Avalanche -135, Oilers +115
Total: 6.5
The Edmonton Oilers are on the brink of elimination in the Western Conference Finals of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Edmonton has fallen behind 3-0 to a Colorado team that has scored 16 goals in the first three games of this series. The Oilers are playing at home and the Avalanche will be without Nazem Kadri who is out for the rest of the series. Kadri is out due to a hit he took from Edmonton’s Evander Kane. That hurt the Oilers in Game 3 as Kane had to serve a major penalty. Kane has two hat tricks for Edmonton in this series.
The Oilers have the top two point scorers – Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl – in the postseason. McDavid scored just 38 seconds into Game 3 and now has nine goals and 21 assists for a total of 30 points. Draisaitl has seven goals and 21 assists for 28 points. Both Edmonton stars plus Kane are going to have to take advantage of Colorado starting backup goal Pavel Francouz once again.
Colorado is in no hurry to put Darcy Keumper back in goal. With a commanding series lead, the Avs can afford to play Francouz once again. He has had his struggles, but he’s only given up two goals in two games. Look for Edmonton to apply some serious pressure tonight as they are in a do-or-die situation.
With three straight wins over the Oilers, the Avs are now 6-1 SU in their last seven games. They also happen to be 6-1 SU in their last seven games against Edmonton. Colorado has played well on the road all season. The Avalanche has a record of 30-14-3 away from home this season and Colorado has won its last six in a row on the road.
Despite a 4-2 loss at home in Game 3, Edmonton is 16-4 SU in its last 20 games at Rogers Place. Oilers goalie Mike Smith has had his ups and downs. He has given up at least four goals in four straight games, but he did stop double-digit shots during the major penalty to Kane in Game 3. If he can flash some brilliance long enough tonight, Edmonton may have a chance at extending the series.
Consider the last ten games between Edmonton and Colorado played at Rogers Place. Seven of those games have gone Under the total. A lower-scoring game may favor the Oilers playing against a backup goalie. Surprisingly, the Under has hit in five of the last seven Oilers-Avs games overall. These are two teams that can score as evidenced by the 8-6 flurry produced in Game 1.
Also keep in mind that Colorado scored four goals in Game 3 and Kadri, Gabriel Landeskog, and Cale Makar didn’t record a point. Those are three of the Av’s top scorers. Nathan MacKinnon leads Colorado with 10 goals and 17 points in 13 games this postseason.