The Colorado Avalanche (35-22-6) play host to the Arizona Coyotes (23-32-10) at Ball Arena on Saturday. Arizona is coming off a 4-1 win over the Predators on Thursday. The Coyotes committed seven penalties in the game, though they held Nashville without a power play goal. Four players found the net for the Coyotes.
Clayton Keller had two assists to lead the team in scoring. Ivan Prosvetov had a great performance with 39 saves (.975%) in the win.
Colorado is wrapping up a four-game homestand after a 5-2 loss against the Kings on Thursday. Evan Rodrigues and Nathan MacKinnon both scored once for the Avalanche. Alexandar Georgiev saved only 26 of 30 shots against (.866%) in the loss.
HEAD TO HEAD
The Coyotes won the first meeting between the teams this season, a 6-3 victory in December, their third straight win against Colorado. Lawson Crouse (1G 2A) and Jakob Chychrun (0G 3A) each had three points to lead Arizona. Cale Makar (1G 1A) and J.T. Compher (0G 2A) each had two points to lead Colorado. Connor Ingram got the win, saving 28 of 31 shots (.903%).
FACING OFF
Arizona is averaging 2.74 goals per game for the season, 27th in the NHL, and they are taking on an Avalanche team that is allowing 2.79 goals a game (9th).
Meanwhile, Colorado has found the net 3.16 times a game on average, 15th in the league, and the Coyotes are allowing opponents to score 3.49 goals per game (24th).
Arizona averages fewer shots per game (25.9) than any other team in the league, though the team’s 10.8% shooting percentage ranks seventh. Colorado’s average of 33.2 attempts ranks eighth.
Don’t be surprised to see multiple power play opportunities for the Avalanche, as the Coyotes are averaging 4.48 penalties per game, fifth-most in the NHL. The visitors’ 10.78 penalty minutes a game ranks seventh-highest.
The home team has been penalized 3.78 times a game (14th) for an average of 8.63 minutes (18th). The Avalanche’s 23.00% power play percentage ranks eighth in the league, while the Coyotes are 24th with a conversion rate of 18.88%. In terms of defending power plays, Colorado has the league’s 18th-ranked PK% at 78.97%, while Arizona is 26th at 75.10%.
TOP PERFORMERS:
With 65 points this season, Keller is the top skater for the Coyotes. He has 26 goals and 39 assists in 65 games. In the net, Karel Vejmelka (17-19-5) is Arizona’s top goaltender by goals against average. He has a 3.36 GAA and a .904% save percentage.
MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen lead the Avalanche in scoring with 77 and 74 points, respectively. MacKinnon has 27 goals and 50 assists (10th) in 52 games, while Rantanen has 42 goals (3rd) and 32 assists ().
Pavel Francouz (7-7-1) has the best goals against average for Colorado at 2.53. He has a save percentage of .919%. Georgiev (27-13-5) has played the most games in net for the Avalanche this season. He has a 2.60 GAA and a .919% save percentage, fifth-best in the league.
HOME AND AWAY
Arizona is 7-21-7 away from home this season. Colorado is 17-11-5 at home this season.
SportsTips’ NHL Pick:
Colorado Avalanche -2.5 (+100)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
