Avalanche vs Penguins Prediction & Picks (Feb. 7): Can Pittsburgh Halt Colorado’s Momentum at PPG Paints Arena?

Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby are set to go head-to-head as the Colorado Avalanche collide with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, Feb, 7. Although it’ll be exciting to see several talented players facing off tonight, both sides are heading in opposite directions as of late, leaving time to tell who’ll emerge as the victor in this Avalanche vs Penguins showdown.

Crosby on tomorrow's matchup vs. Colorado: "They've got a lot of depth. I think they are always a challenge in the way that they play fast, and I think we understand that. They've got a lot of guys that are game breakers, so defensively we're going to have to be good." pic.twitter.com/W4poCJwMt3

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) February 6, 2023

The Avalanche improved to 7-1-0 in their last eight games with a 4-2 win over the St. Louis Blues before the NHL All-Star Break. Though playing at PPG Paints Arena is never easy for visiting teams, Colorado does have a three-game road winning streak on its side, making it interesting to see if it continues tonight.

Meanwhile, winning has been tough for the Penguins. Pittsburgh has tasted defeated in three of its last four games and even though two of those losses came post-regulation, the team lost 6-4 to the lowly San Jose Sharks in its last outing. Needless to say, a stronger effort is needed to thwart the Avs.

There are a plethora of betting opportunities heading into tonight’s Avalanche vs Penguins collision. Here’s a look at BetOnline Sportsbook’s latest odds for the game, as well as a prediction and the best bet to make, courtesy of Betting News.

Colorado Avalanche vs Pittsburgh Penguins Matchup Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: Colorado Avalanche (27-18-3, 14-9-0 Away) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (24-16-9, 14-6-4 Home)
• Venue & Location: PPG Paints Arena (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
• Date: Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023
• Game Time: 7 p.m. Eastern Time
• Avalanche vs Penguins TV Info: ESPN+

Avalanche vs Penguins Leafs Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline as of Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 8:40 a.m. ET. Odds from other top online sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• Colorado Avalanche +1.5 (-265)
• Pittsburgh Penguins -1.5 (+210)

Over/Under

• Over 6.5 Goals (-108)
• Under 6.5 Goals (-112)

Moneyline

• Colorado Avalanche -110
• Pittsburgh Penguins -110

Avalanche vs Penguins Betting Trends

• Colorado is 5-2 straight up in its last seven games against the Eastern Conference.
• Pittsburgh is 10-5 straight up in its last 15 home games.
• The total has hit the under in each of Colorado’s last six road games.
• The total has hit the under in four of Pittsburgh’s last six games against the Central Division.
• The total has hit the over in four of the last six Colorado-Pittsburgh matchups.

Avalanche vs Penguins Prediction and Picks

Avalanche vs Penguins Prediction: Avalanche 4, Penguins 3

Avalanche vs Penguins Best Bets: Avalanche ML (Best Value: -110 at BetOnline) & Over 6.5 Goals (Best Value: -108 at BetOnline)

The Avalanche were looking like Stanley Cup contenders ahead of the break and for several good reasons. One of those is the recent play from goaltender Alexander Georgiev.

Georgiev has been playing phenomenally as of late, going 4-0-0 in his last four starts with a 1.50 goals-against average and .954 save percentage. While playing on the road can be challenging, the 26-year-old netminder has also won each of his last three away contests, allowing two or fewer goals in each game.

Standing in the opposing crease will likely be Casey DeSmith, according to Daily Faceoff. Unfortunately, his play over the last few months has left a lot to be desired. DeSmith is only 3-5-3 in his last 12 appearances, playing to a 3.85 GAA and .888 SV%.

DeSmith’s struggles were highlighted even more by the fact that he allowed five goals on 31 shots in his last outing (vs. the Sharks). With how dangerous the Avalanche’s best players are, he can’t afford a similar performance.

Colorado has been getting production for all of its lines recently. A total of 10 different Avalanche players have at least six points over the last eight games. Unsurprisingly, MacKinnon has been leading the charge, pacing his teammates with 11 assists and 13 points over that span. Mikko Rantanen has also been doing some damage, tallying a team-leading seven goals.

That’s not to take away from what the Penguins’ best players have done, though. After all, Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have 13 and 15 points, respectively, over the last 10 games. Even Jake Guentzel and Rickard Rakell have each tallied nine points over that time frame.

However, the Penguins’ depth drops off a bit after that. Aside from Bryan Rust and Jason Zucker, Pittsburgh doesn’t really have any other threats outside of the above. It’s going to be incredibly difficult to shut down the Avs’ attack or, at least, keep pace with it.

It’s a game that could go either way on paper, but the Avalanche have the depth and momentum to get things done. Besides, it’s tough trusting the Penguins after surrendering six goals to a team like the Sharks.

On top of taking the Avalanche in the moneyline pick ‘em situation, I’m also siding with the total going over 6.5 goals. As mentioned before, the total has gone over in four of the last six Avalanche vs Penguins matchups.

With there also being a fair bit of star power present tonight, it’ll be far from shocking if the over is hit yet again.

Other Avalanche vs Penguins Betting Resources

• Avalanche vs Penguins Consensus Picks, Score Projections & Betting Stats

Other NHL Stories on Betting News (Feb. 7)

• Oilers vs Red Wings Prediction & Picks (Feb. 7): Edmonton Outplays Detroit on Both Ends