Avalanche vs. Golden Knights Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Sunday, April 14

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are drawing near and we have a playoff-type battle going down on Sunday. It's a matchup of the two previous Stanley Cup champions when the Colorado Avalanche face the Las Vegas Golden Knights. 

Colorado attempts to chase down the No. 2 seed in the central division of the Western Conference. Vegas is likely going to be the final wild card team in the west field but has the potential to grab a top 3 spot in the Pacific division. With both teams getting ready for the road ahead, this game is a very intriguing matchup. Here’s what you should be looking for in this one.

Avalanche vs. Golden Knights odds and total

Avalanche vs. Golden Knights Betting Trends

• Avalanche have gone OVER in 46 of 80 games this season
• Golden Knights are 20-18 ATS in home games
• Avalanche have won 10 of the last 11 against Pacific Division teams
• Golden Knights are 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games

Avalanche vs. Golden Knights: How To Watch

• Date: Sunday, April 14th
• Game Time: 3:30 PM EST
• Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
• How To Watch (TV, Streaming): TNT, MAX
• Avalanche Record: 49-25-6
• Golden Knights Record: 43-28-8

Avalanche vs. Golden Knights Key Players To Watch

Avalanche

Nathan MacKinnon: It is super fun to watch Nathan MacKinnon play hockey. He is the ultimate leader of the Avalanche. He gets crafty with the puck and will attack an open shooting lane wherever he finds it on the ice. The Hart trophy is likely going to be all his with 137 points (2nd), 51 goals (4th), and 86 assists (3rd). Entering this game, he has recorded 10 of those points in the last five, including a 4 point night versus Minnesota last week on Tuesday.

Golden Knights

Jack Eichel: Ever since he came to Las Vegas, Jack Eichel has been a keystone to the team’s offense. He’s found consistency with this exciting Golden Knights team. Eichel has recorded at least a point in six of the past eight games. The center brings a lot of dynamic offense that can still make noise in the playoffs. He has returned to full health following a knee injury in January that sidelined him for two months.

Avalanche vs. Golden Knights Prediction and Pick

This game occurs at an interesting juncture. The Avalanche are entering off a 7-0 blowout against Winnipeg on Friday. It got ugly fast as goaltender Alexander Georgiev surrendered foul goals at 15:17 and was quickly pulled. It was the first game all season that the Avalanche were blanked on home ice.

The Golden Knights continue to seek better playoff positioning following a 7-2 demolition against Minnesota on Friday. Chandler Stephenson had a three-assist night and the Vegas offense tallied a pair of power-play goals. It was a necessary win following a three-game losing streak.

These two have faced each other twice in the regular season. Vegas won 7-0 in November at home, while Colorado responded with a 3-0 win in Denver back in January. I’m going to edge Vegas this time around to complete the trilogy. They are a bit more desperate when it comes to seeding battles and they will need this game to try and better themselves. 

It will be problematic trying to shut down an Avalanche power play that ranks 5th in the NHL, headlined by Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. The Golden Knights play disciplined hockey and rank in the bottom five in total penalty kill minutes. By taking this Colorado unit out of the game, it gives them a huge advantage. They can win a lot of close games as 16 of their wins this season have been by one goal. Back the Golden Knights on home ice in this one.

Pick: Vegas Golden Knights to WIN

Note: Game odds are subject to change.