Welcome back to NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey takes a look at the games that are scheduled and offers insight and analysis to help predict who will be victorious in head-to-head matchups. In today’s round of NHL Predictions, we are looking at the game between the Minnesota Wild vs Colorado Avalanche. Be sure to check out more NHL Predictions as the 2024-25 season continues.
Time: 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
TV: SN 360; Altitude; Fan Duel Sports North; Fan Duel Sports Wisconsin; ESPN+
We feature a big matchup in our NHL predictions. It’s a Central Division battle between the Wild and the Avalanche on this Friday night. Both teams are 6-4 in their last 10 games. However, Minnesota is coming two straight defeats and that includes a 6-1 rout by the Utah Hockey Club. Meanwhile, Colorado got the win over the New Jersey Devils last time out.
The two clubs play each other one more time in the season series after this game. Minnesota is two points ahead of Colorado for third place ahead of this game. Let’s dive and check out all the storylines entering this game in this round of NHL predictions.
It was a night to forget for Minnesota after getting routed by Utah on Thursday night. The Wild are in position to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, injuries have rocked the lineup with both Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek out of the lineup. Kaprizov still leads in goals and points, but is out for the foreseeable future.
Filip Gustavsson is the expected starter with Marc-Andre Fleury having played this night before in Salt Lake City. However, always check social media before locking in a daily fantasy starter. Matthew Boldy leads the team in assists with 31 so far this season.
It’s been an up-and-down season at time for the Avalanche. Colorado got off to that horrendous start, but has managed to stabilize heading into the stretch drive. This team still would love a little bit more consistency. This includes an 8-10-1 record against divisional opponents.
Mackenzie Blackwood is the projected starter ahead of this Central Division matchup for Colorado. Cale Makar continues to put up quality numbers with 22 goals with 44 assists for the Avalanche.
Minnesota having to turn around and play a talented Colorado group after playing the night before is already hard enough. However, having come back the next night after getting downed by Utah is even harder.
The Avs should walk away with this one and turn up the heat on the Wild in the chase for the automatic playoff spot in the division.
Prediction: Avalanche win 4-2.
We close out NHL predictions with some prop bets of the night. The over/under for this game is 5.5 and we like the over in this instance. For Minnesota, go with Marco Rossi to get the over 0.5 points in this one. On the Colorado end of things, take Artturi Lehkonen to met a goal.
Main photo by: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
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