Kings vs. Avalanche NHL Best Bets for April 13 (Archive)
The Kings skate into Mile High with a tenuous grasp on third place in the Pacific Division while the Avalanche are running away with the Central Division crown. Let’s analyze this clash of Western Conference foes and keep cashing our NHL picks!
Los Angeles Kings vs. Colorado Avalanche
Wednesday, April 13, 2022 – 09:30 PM EDT at Ball Arena
The Kings had dropped three straight before getting back on track against the lowly Blackhawks on Tuesday night. There’s nothing that cures a losing streak like a trip to the Windy City this season and the Kings took full advantage with a 5-2 victory at the United Center.
Trevor Moore broke the ice early in the first period and deposited his 15th goal of the season followed by Phillip Danault’s 22nd tally just three minutes later. Blake Lizotte would score twice later on in the game for his 9th and 10th goals of the season while Jordan Spence notched his second goal of the year to get the W for the Kings.
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Los Angeles outshot the Blackhawks 36-20 and Jonathan Quick copped his 18th win as the season winds into the home stretch. “We eliminated a lot of the errors we were making in games prior,” Kings' coach Todd McLellan said. “We limited shots. It gives us a little bit of confidence and gets us ready for tomorrow (Wednesday at Colorado). We know what we’re up against there.”
Avs Shooting for Seventh Straight
Colorado is not only cruising to a divisional title but is tied with the Florida Panthers for the top spot in the league this year with 110 points apiece. Therefore, it’s not all that surprising that the Avs have won six consecutive games and will be in heaven with number seven if they defeat the Kings on Wednesday night.
After defeating the Jets, 5-4 in overtime, on Friday night in hostile territory the Avs would have been excused if they were a bit gassed against the high-scoring Oilers the following night in Edmonton. But Colorado emerged victorious in a tight-checking 2-1 shootout win with Darcy Kuemper nothing short of brilliant, stopping 49 of 50 shots.
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The game was scoreless until the third period when Edmonton finally cracked the code that was Kuemper early in the final frame. But Nathan MacKinnon would save the day with his 26th goal of the season when he beat the Oilers’ goalie, Mikko Koskinen, with five minutes remaining. MacKinnon would also get the lone shootout goal to seal the deal for the Avs.
“It’s always nice to end it with a save and it’s a great feeling getting the win,” Kuemper said, “We know we have a special group in here and it’s been a really fun season getting that many wins, but our ultimate goal is still ahead of us here.”
Wanna Make a Bet?
As I scanned the NHL odds on this matchup, I was initially surprised to see the Avs as such big favorites over a playoff-caliber team like Los Angeles. Of course, we knew Colorado would be favored but books like Bovada have the Avs as high as -260 as of this early morning writing.
But before we get too carried away and make a bet on the Kings just for the sake of value, we have to remember a few things. First, the Kings played last night and will likely start Cal Petersen in place of Jonathan Quick who played last night. At age 36, Quick is no longer the same caliber goalie he once was but is still a notch above the 27-year-old Petersen who checks in with a 2.79 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage.
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We should also consider the Avalanche have owned the Kings, winning their last eight meetings against their Western Conference foes including two wins this season, both on the road, a 4-1 victory in January, and a 3-0 shutout in March.
Lastly, the Avs have had four days of rest to prepare for this one and I believe they will be ready to unload when they touch the puck tonight at home. This should be a one-sided affair which is why I am laying the 1 ½ on the puck line and going under the posted total for this NHL matchup, knowing the Kings won’t be scoring much tonight with Kuemper likely between the pipes.
The Picks
NHL Pick: Avalanche -1 ½ (+100) with Bovada (visit our Bovada Review)
NHL Pick: Under 6 (-105) with BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.