Once Upon A Time In Las Vegas – Divisional Round
Colorado Avalanche (24-17-3) vs. Seattle Kraken (27-14-4)
The 2022-23 NHL season goes on with a 14-game Saturday card and brings this Western Conference clash from the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington when the Colorado Avalanche take on the Seattle Kraken at 10:00 p.m. ET.
Seattle enters the contest as a slight favorite on the Moneyline (-115) with the total set at 6.5. These teams have already met one time this season, with the Kraken winning in Denver on October 21, 3-2. Seattle was at +199 for that game and they have split the four meetings between these clubs.
The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Vancouver Canucks on Friday, 4-1, winning the first two contests of their three-game road trip by identical 4-1 scores. The team has now won four straight after opening the month 0-4-1. The Avalanche are 13-9-0 on the road and are winners of three of their last four road contests. Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist in the victory.
“We're just playing our style,” Colorado forward Andrew Cogliano said. “We're getting up the ice a lot quicker, guys are much more predictable, and it seems like we're defending less and playing more in their end. We got guys like [Valeri Nichushkin] and Mikko and 'Nate,' and when they get zone time, they turn the tide of the game and they're tough to handle and it just seems like our pace of our game is a lot higher.”
Sleep tight, Avs Faithful. #GoAvsGo https: //t.co/OelEHDNU86
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) January 21, 2023
After struggling to start the month, Colorado is suddenly getting outstanding goaltending. The team had allowed 18 goals through the first five games of January, but have allowed just five during the four-game winning streak. Alexandar Georgiev stopped 28 shots in the victory and has now allowed a single goal in back-to-back wins.
The Avalanche are 10th in goals allowed per game (2.75) and 20th in goals scored (3.09). The power-play has been solid, seventh overall at 24.8%. Nathan MacKinnon has been on fire, recording 10 assists and 12 points in his last five games.