Colorado Avalanche vs. Calgary Flames: Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 1/18/2023

Time: 9:30 p.m. ET

Venue: Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB

Where to watch: TVAS, SN1, SNW, ALT2

FanDuel: Flames -134, Avalanche +112

BetMGM: Flames -135, Avalanche +115

Caesars: Flames -130, Avalanche +110

Avalanche: 22-17-3

Flames: 21-15-9

Avalanche: won 6-3 vs. Red Wings

Flames: lost 2-1 at Predators

The Colorado Avalanche will be playing the Calgary Flames on Wednesday, January 18 in Calgary. 

The Colorado Avalanche won against the Detroit Red Wings last Monday, January 16 in Denver, Colorado with a score of 6-3. The Colorado Avalanche currently rank 5th in the Central Division. Cale Makar scored twice and hand one assist, Nathan MacKinnon scored twice and two assists, J.T. Compher had a goal and an assist, and Pavel Francouz made 26 saves for the Avalanche. Goals were also made by Artturi Lehkonen

"There's not too many areas I want to complain about from our last couple of games," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. "So, to be able to win and win the right way and kind of get back on track on what we have to do to have success, I think is good timing. I think if you're playing your game for 60 minutes the way you're supposed to, then the wins will come in regulation."

Compher scored a power-play goal to make it 4-0 when he tapped in a pass from Evan Rodrigues.

"He's got a lot of deception in his game, he's always looking one place and passing it someplace else," Bednar said of Rodrigues. "So, great vision and awareness right away when he picks up the puck to kind of know where guys are at and figure out where their momentum is going. And then he always adds a little bit of extra deception in it before it makes it. It's why he's so successful making those plays."

This has been about as bad a start to the year as you could ask for from the defending Stanley Cup Champions. The Avalanche have only won three games in their last 10, and the last two wins – Ottawa and Detroit – are still not good enough to consider anything is good on the horizon. Sure, they’ve found a way to score against a couple of mediocre teams. They still struggle against lower-level teams like Chicago. I have no idea what to make of this team at the moment.

The Calgary Flames lost against the Nashville Predators last Monday, January 16 in Nashville, Tennessee with a score of 2-1. The Calgary Flames currently rank 5th in the Pacific Division. Nikita Zadorov scored, and Jacob Markstrom made 27 saves for the Flames, who went 0-for-4 on the power play.

"It was a pathetic effort by us the first two periods for sure," Zadorov said. "We were a step behind. The energy wasn't there, the commitment wasn't there, we weren't shooting. We were making bad plays, giving up too many chances, so I think it was just an all-around bad effort for us in the first two periods."

Calgary nearly tied it 2-2 on a power play at 3:58 of the third when Tyler Toffoli knocked in the rebound of Nazem Kadri's shot, but video review determined Toffoli kicked the puck into the net.

"Obviously we're saying it's a goal and [the Predators are] happy it's not, but it could be the other way," Flames coach Darryl Sutter said. "On the ice, it's called a goal, so generally that kind of overrides. It's not like Tyler was kicking. A distinct kicking motion is stand up and make a distinct kicking motion."

Meanwhile, Calgary isn’t any better. They go from getting a big-time win in Dallas to scoring just one goal on the road in Nashville. The inconsistency, stemming from the goaltender position all the way to the top of the forward list is quite alarming. I know Sutter has something that works for him, and maybe this group with Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau can turn it on in the playoffs if they get there. I just don’t know at the moment.

The fact this game is in Calgary, I feel much better about the Flames chances. I am intrigued to see whichever goalie they run out and how that will impact what Colorado does and if the Avs can keep it up, but I think the Flames are a good value as a slight favorite. Flames 4, Avalanche 2

Flames are 8-14 off a road loss by 1 goal the last 3 seasons.

Flames are 6-12 after five straight games with 30 or more shots on goal this season.

Avalanche are 92-99 on the road when revenging a loss of 2 goals or more since 1996.

Artturi Lehkonen -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Valeri Nichushkin

Alex Newhook -- Evan Rodrigues -- Mikko Rantanen

Andrew Cogliano -- J.T. Compher -- Logan O'Connor

Jacob MacDonald -- Ben Meyers -- Kurtis MacDermid

Devon Toews -- Cale Makar

Samuel Girard -- Erik Johnson

Andreas Englund -- Brad Hunt

Alexandar Georgiev

Dillon Dube -- Elias Lindholm -- Tyler Toffoli

Milan Lucic -- Nazem Kadri -- Jonathan Huberdeau

Andrew Mangiapane -- Mikael Backlund -- Blake Coleman

Trevor Lewis -- Adam Ruzicka -- Walker Duehr

Noah Hanifin -- Rasmus Andersson

MacKenzie Weegar -- Chris Tanev

Nikita Zadorov -- Michael Stone

Dan Vladar