by Chuck Sommers
Saturday, Feb 18, 2023
Time: 5 p.m. ET
Venue: Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO
Where to watch: BSMW, NHL Network, ALT, SN
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Avalanche -165, Blues +140
FanDuel: Avalanche -192, Blues +155
BetMGM: Avalanche -175, Blues +145
Caesars: Avalanche -169, Blues +143
Season record
Avalanche: 29-19-5
Blues: 26-25-3
The All-Star break is over, the second half of the NHL season can officially begin, and we're bound for what should be a very exciting second half of the hockey season. Basketball and hockey are about to rule the roost in the sports betting world once the Super Bowl is done with, and we should all be very excited for what's to come. When the trade deadline hits and players switch teams, you know things are about to get hectic over these final 30 games or so. One way you can stay tuned with the action is following what our champion handicappers are doing in the world of the NHL. Look at ASA, Inc., reeling in a $6,750 profit off a 17-9-0 run. Al McMordie is also doing well on the ice with a 13-5-0 run and a net profit of $6,050. Scott Rickenbach has also been hanging strong with a lot of betting action, in what's been an unusual year, with a 24-18-0 run and reeling in $5,950. You know this action is going to be great now that games are back and a busy second half if on the horizon. All you need to do is head to our BEST BETS page at bigal.com to find out all of what we're trying to tell you. Make sure you're locked in at bigal.com and go to our Best Bets page to find out what our champion handicappers have to say in the world of the NHL!
Avalanche - Blues preview, prediction and analysis
Recent results
Avalanche: won 3-2 at Wild
Blues: won 4-2 vs. Devils
The Colorado Avalanche will be playing the St. Louis Blues on Saturday, February 18 in St. Louis, Missouri.
And if you're just waking up to the news, this is about to be a weird time in St. Louis after the Blues traded captain Ryan O'Reilly to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night.
The Colorado Avalanche won against the Minnesota Wild last Wednesday, February 15 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota with a score of 3-2. The Colorado Avalanche currently rank 3rd in the Central Division.
Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist, and Alexandar Georgiev made 41 saves for the Colorado Avalanche. MacKinnon has three straight multipoint games (four goals, three assists) and has scored in four of five games since the NHL All-Star break.
"I feel like he's picking up his game here recently," Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. "The bigger the moment, the better he plays. Last night, the night before, I thought he was great. And then tonight, he kind of led the charge for us, especially on the offensive side of it. Looked like he had good legs. He's making plays and getting dangerous on a bunch of occasions."
Andrew Cogliano and Denis Malgin scored, and Devon Toews had two assists for the Avalanche (29-19-5), who have won two of their past three games and moved two points ahead of Minnesota for third place in the Central Division.
It was Georgiev's second start in as many days; he made 32 saves in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.
Cogliano gave Colorado a 1-0 lead at 15:14 of the first period. After a breakout pass from Samuel Girard, Toews skated into the offensive zone and fed Cogliano in the left face-off circle, where he shot past Fleury glove side.
Georgiev made 17 saves in the first.
"We know the standings and we know the other team is close to us," Georgiev said. "We knew it was three points for us, and kind of every game now for us now is playoff intensity. We know we have to get points and get higher up in the standings for sure."
Malgin extended the lead to 2-0 at 2:20 of the second period with a shot from the slot. Eriksson Ek cut it to 2-1 at 7:09 on a power play, redirecting Zuccarello's shot. MacKinnon made it 3-1 with a shot that beat Fleury five-hole at 16:29. Kirill Kaprizov scored for Minnesota at 14:07 of the third period with a backhand from the left circle for the 3-2 final.
The Colorado Avalanche have won six of their last 10 games.
The St. Louis Blues won against the New Jersey Devils last Thursday, February 16 at Enterprise Center in St. Louis Missouri with a score of 4-2. The St. Louis Blues currently rank 6th in the Central Division.
Jordan Binnington made 34 saves for the St. Louis Blues. Brayden Schenn and Jordan Kyrou each had a goal and an assist, and Robert Thomas had two assists for the Blues (26-25-3), who have won three straight.
"Everybody understands every game is like elimination," St. Louis forward Alexey Toropchenko said. "We're just trying to focus on the next game. We need wins to make the playoffs because everyone wants to make the playoffs. We're just a hard-working team, physical, and we're doing what our coaches are saying to us … we're just working hard."
Pavel Buchnevich put the Blues ahead 1-0 at 16:32 of the first period, finishing off a backdoor tap-in from Ivan Barbashev. Toropchenko made it 2-1 at 4:00 by tapping in a loose puck at the right post, and Kyrou extended the lead to 3-1 at 5:35 on a wrist shot from the right hash marks after Schenn and Thomas won a forecheck battle in the corner behind the net.
"Actually, it was a long shift and we just outworked them, and we were strong on our forecheck and pretty tight altogether," Toropchenko said. "Great play by everyone, especially [Nathan Walker]. He just gave me like a present at the net."
Schenn pushed the lead to 4-2 with a power-play goal at 11:42 of the third period, following up a rebound of Kyrou's shot from the left face-off circle.
"It was a weird little situation there," Kyrou said. "I happened to be pretty open. Good thing I fanned on it. I was trying to go top glove, but it worked out."
The Blues swept the season series with the Devils, winning 5-3 on Jan. 5 in New Jersey.
"They don't give you any easy ice. Real fast team," St. Louis coach Craig Berube said. "You get pressure everywhere … very good transition team, but we did a good job getting back, protecting the middle of the ice in our zone. We handled the rush attack pretty well tonight, I thought."
The St. Louis Blues have won five of their last 10 games.
Prediction
The Blues were riding high with this three-game winning streak, but I do wonder how things will transpire when O'Reilly is no longer in the lineup. Godspeed in St. Louis. Avalanche 4, Blues 2
The Colorado Avalanche will be playing the St. Louis Blues on Saturday, February 18 in St. Louis, Missouri.
And if you're just waking up to the news, this is about to be a weird time in St. Louis after the Blues traded captain Ryan O'Reilly to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night.
The Colorado Avalanche won against the Minnesota Wild last Wednesday, February 15 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota with a score of 3-2. The Colorado Avalanche currently rank 3rd in the Central Division.
Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist, and Alexandar Georgiev made 41 saves for the Colorado Avalanche. MacKinnon has three straight multipoint games (four goals, three assists) and has scored in four of five games since the NHL All-Star break.
"I feel like he's picking up his game here recently," Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. "The bigger the moment, the better he plays. Last night, the night before, I thought he was great. And then tonight, he kind of led the charge for us, especially on the offensive side of it. Looked like he had good legs. He's making plays and getting dangerous on a bunch of occasions."
Andrew Cogliano and Denis Malgin scored, and Devon Toews had two assists for the Avalanche (29-19-5), who have won two of their past three games and moved two points ahead of Minnesota for third place in the Central Division.
It was Georgiev's second start in as many days; he made 32 saves in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.
Cogliano gave Colorado a 1-0 lead at 15:14 of the first period. After a breakout pass from Samuel Girard, Toews skated into the offensive zone and fed Cogliano in the left face-off circle, where he shot past Fleury glove side.
Georgiev made 17 saves in the first.
"We know the standings and we know the other team is close to us," Georgiev said. "We knew it was three points for us, and kind of every game now for us now is playoff intensity. We know we have to get points and get higher up in the standings for sure."
Malgin extended the lead to 2-0 at 2:20 of the second period with a shot from the slot. Eriksson Ek cut it to 2-1 at 7:09 on a power play, redirecting Zuccarello's shot. MacKinnon made it 3-1 with a shot that beat Fleury five-hole at 16:29. Kirill Kaprizov scored for Minnesota at 14:07 of the third period with a backhand from the left circle for the 3-2 final.
The Colorado Avalanche have won six of their last 10 games.
The St. Louis Blues won against the New Jersey Devils last Thursday, February 16 at Enterprise Center in St. Louis Missouri with a score of 4-2. The St. Louis Blues currently rank 6th in the Central Division.
Jordan Binnington made 34 saves for the St. Louis Blues. Brayden Schenn and Jordan Kyrou each had a goal and an assist, and Robert Thomas had two assists for the Blues (26-25-3), who have won three straight.
"Everybody understands every game is like elimination," St. Louis forward Alexey Toropchenko said. "We're just trying to focus on the next game. We need wins to make the playoffs because everyone wants to make the playoffs. We're just a hard-working team, physical, and we're doing what our coaches are saying to us … we're just working hard."
Pavel Buchnevich put the Blues ahead 1-0 at 16:32 of the first period, finishing off a backdoor tap-in from Ivan Barbashev. Toropchenko made it 2-1 at 4:00 by tapping in a loose puck at the right post, and Kyrou extended the lead to 3-1 at 5:35 on a wrist shot from the right hash marks after Schenn and Thomas won a forecheck battle in the corner behind the net.
"Actually, it was a long shift and we just outworked them, and we were strong on our forecheck and pretty tight altogether," Toropchenko said. "Great play by everyone, especially [Nathan Walker]. He just gave me like a present at the net."
Schenn pushed the lead to 4-2 with a power-play goal at 11:42 of the third period, following up a rebound of Kyrou's shot from the left face-off circle.
"It was a weird little situation there," Kyrou said. "I happened to be pretty open. Good thing I fanned on it. I was trying to go top glove, but it worked out."
The Blues swept the season series with the Devils, winning 5-3 on Jan. 5 in New Jersey.
"They don't give you any easy ice. Real fast team," St. Louis coach Craig Berube said. "You get pressure everywhere … very good transition team, but we did a good job getting back, protecting the middle of the ice in our zone. We handled the rush attack pretty well tonight, I thought."
The St. Louis Blues have won five of their last 10 games.
Prediction
The Blues were riding high with this three-game winning streak, but I do wonder how things will transpire when O'Reilly is no longer in the lineup. Godspeed in St. Louis. Avalanche 4, Blues 2
Betting trends
Projected lines
Avalanche:
Artturi Lehkonen -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Valeri Nichushkin
Evan Rodrigues -- J.T. Compher -- Mikko Rantanen
Andrew Cogliano -- Alex Newhook -- Logan O'Connor
Matt Nieto -- Ben Meyers -- Denis Malgin
Devon Toews -- Cale Makar
Bowen Byram -- Josh Manson
Samuel Girard -- Andreas Englund
Alexandar Georgiev
Artturi Lehkonen -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Valeri Nichushkin
Evan Rodrigues -- J.T. Compher -- Mikko Rantanen
Andrew Cogliano -- Alex Newhook -- Logan O'Connor
Matt Nieto -- Ben Meyers -- Denis Malgin
Devon Toews -- Cale Makar
Bowen Byram -- Josh Manson
Samuel Girard -- Andreas Englund
Alexandar Georgiev
Blues:
Brayden Schenn -- Robert Thomas -- Jordan Kyrou
Pavel Buchnevich -- Ivan Barbashev -- Josh Leivo
Jake Neighbours -- Logan Brown -- Sammy Blais
Alexey Toropchenko -- Nathan Walker -- Tyler Pitlick
Nick Leddy -- Colton Parayko
Torey Krug -- Justin Faulk
Tyler Tucker -- Calle Rosen
Jordan Binnington
Brayden Schenn -- Robert Thomas -- Jordan Kyrou
Pavel Buchnevich -- Ivan Barbashev -- Josh Leivo
Jake Neighbours -- Logan Brown -- Sammy Blais
Alexey Toropchenko -- Nathan Walker -- Tyler Pitlick
Nick Leddy -- Colton Parayko
Torey Krug -- Justin Faulk
Tyler Tucker -- Calle Rosen
Jordan Binnington
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
