Why Avalanche’s Current Dip Could Be the Hidden Opportunity No One Sees Coming

Ever notice how one little win can flip your whole mindset? Got a taste of victory yesterday, and suddenly I’m thinking, “Alright, maybe I’m about to start nailing these hockey bets.” Hope does that to people—it’s sneaky, convincing us anything’s possible, even when the season’s been a slog. Tonight, we’re locked in on the Avalanche and Canadiens showdown in Montreal—a clash that pits Colorado’s near-historic dominance against a Canadiens squad quietly shaping a solid year. The Avs might be a bit shaky lately, but with Scott Wedgewood in net, they’re still a formidable force. Meanwhile, Montreal’s offense is cooking, but their defense? Meh, not so much. So here’s my burning question: Can the Canadiens capitalize on home ice and crack the Avalanche’s armor, or will Colorado’s star power and tough road game continue to roll? It’s a back-to-back night for the Avs—always a curveball—but this one could tip in their favor despite that. Buckle up, it’s gonna be a thrilling ride. LEARN MORE.

Avalanche vs. Canadiens, 7:00 ET

I got a win on the ice yesterday, so, naturally, I feel like I’m on top of the world and that I’ll start to crush hockey now. Hope is a funny thing, give people a little bit of it, and for the most part, they think anything can happen. I know this has been a brutal hockey betting season for me, but there is still time to turn it around and get back on track. I kept it rather short and sweet yesterday, so I’ll do the same today as we take on the Avalanche and Canadiens in Montreal.

The Avalanche looked like they might be the best team in hockey history at one point in the season. Even now, the team still has fewer than ten outright losses. They are 35-7-9 for the season, which is good in terms of points, but still makes me a little concerned for their playoff outlook as it does mean they are struggling a bit in close games. Still, if we combine those losses and overtime losses, we get a record of 35-16, which is almost 20 games above .500. That is a great mark no matter how you look at it. For the season, the Avalanche are averaging almost four goals per game at 3.90. They are also elite on defense, holding opponents to just a 2.39 goals against per game average. They haven’t been great in January, though. They are just 5-7 overall, and 5-5-2 in actual hockey records. Tonight, they should have Scott Wedgewood in the net, and he has been basically a wall this season. He is 20-3-5, is allowing 2.14 goals against on average, and has a .918 save percentage. Those are all fifth or better in the league.

The Canadiens are putting together a nice season of their own, even if they aren’t quite as dominant as the Avalanche. For the year, Montreal has been able to get to a 29-17-7 record. What is a bit more surprising to me is that they really haven’t taken advantage of their home ice. They are just 15-11-1 when playing in Montreal this year. For the year, they are allowing 3.26 goals per game, which is slightly lower than what they are scoring at 3.36. They are just about even on the total shots taken and allowed as well. Over their past five games, they are 3-2 with some very consistent offense. They have scored at least three goals in four of the five games. The team will be putting Jakub Dobes in the net tonight. He has put together a decent year with a strong record. He is 16-5-3 for the season, but his 2.96 goals against per game, and .890 save percentage is not all that impressive. He also allowed seven goals to the Avalanche last time they faced each other.

The Avalanche certainly haven’t looked like the best team in hockey lately, but they still are a dominant squad with a great goalie. The Canadiens are playing good offense at the moment, but they aren’t exactly dominant on defense. I lean to the over for the game because they will keep attacking Colorado and Wedgewood has stumbled a bit lately. Still, I think Colorado has the better team, better goalie, and they have been very good on the road. Couple that with Montreal not playing great at home, and it looks like this should be a win for the Avalanche. The one word of warning, this is a back-to-back game for the Avalanche, never a great spot.

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