The Colorado Avalanche will be playing a home game on Tuesday night that no one was expecting as the Avs were supposed to lose in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs to top-seeded Calgary. The Avs are slight NHL betting favorites for Game 3 of their semifinal series against the San Jose Sharks. The series is tied 1-1.
Sharks vs Avalanche 2019 NHL Playoffs Spread & Game 3 Pick
“I want to relax and play my game. It’s sound silly but I’ve tried to stop worrying and stop thinking. Just try to read what’s in front of me and make the play.” – Martin Jones on his #PlayoffMode game. pic.twitter.com/p0kjY9Knug
— x – San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) 29 de abril de 2019
- When: Tuesday, 10 PM ET
- Where: Pepsi Center
- TV: NBC Sports Network
- Live Stream: NHL.tv
- Radio: Altitude Sports
- 2019 NHL Playoffs Spread: Colorado Avalanche -1.5 (Total 6)
Why Bet on San Jose?
The Sharks have a four-game winning streak snapped in Sunday’s 4-3 home loss to Colorado. Brent Burns scored two goals and assisted on another in the loss. Burns was involved early, sending a point shot on goal that Evander Kane got on the end of to bury the rebound. The Sharks then gave up the game’s next three goals, with Burns setting up a grand finale for the last five minutes when his shot took a deflection off of Tyson Barrie before beating Philipp Grubauer.
The Avalanche responded with a goal into an empty-net but San Jose went to a late power play and Burns had a power-play goal with 10 seconds left to make it interesting. The 34-year-old Burns started off the postseason with just two points through five games but he now has nine points in his last four games, bringing him to four goals and 11 points in nine games.
Evander Kane scored a goal and assisted on another. It was Kane’s first goal since Game 1 of the first round, snapping a seven-game goal drought and a three-game pointless skid. The 27-year-old forward added an assist on Burns’ power-play goal with 10 seconds left in regulation. Kane has two goals and six points in nine games during these playoffs.
Tomas Hertl had a pair of assists. He has six goals and 10 points in nine games, good for sixth place in the NHL scoring race. Erik Karlsson picked up his 10th assist of the playoffs. Karlsson has yet to score but is tied for sixth in points overall. Martin Jones allowed three goals on 31 shots.
San Jose remains without two forwards. Center Joe Pavelski hasn’t played in either game this series after he suffered a head injury in Game 7 during the opening round against Vegas. Not clear if he will be ready by Tuesday. Right wing Joonas Donskoi missed a third straight game that Donskoi will miss due to an undisclosed injury. It’s believed he was injured on a big hit he received in Game 6 against Vegas.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 3.52
- Shots: 32.98
- PP/PK Percentage: 23.74
- Goals: 3.21
- Shots: 28.87
- PP/PK Percentage: 20.15
Why Bet on Colorado?
How unusual was Sunday’s win for Colorado? It was just the team’s third win at San Jose’s SAP Center in the past 10 years. The Avs’ last victory in San Jose came on Dec. 28, 2015; their other win in that span was Game 1 of 2010 conference quarterfinals.
Nathan MacKinnon had one goal and one assist in the win. MacKinnon picked up an assist on a goal by Gabriel Landeskog in the second period to tie the game at 1-1 and his empty-netter late in the third frame held up as the game-winner after the Sharks scored in the final seconds of the contest. He has generated four goals and seven helpers during a six-game point streak.
Mikko Rantanen and MacKinnon have combined for 22 points while finding the score sheet in each of Colorado’s past six contests. They are the first Avalanche players with a playoff point streak of at least six contests since Peter Forsberg (4-6—10 in 7 GP) and Joe Sakic (4-4—8 in 6 GP) each did so during the 2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Defenseman Tyson Barrie scored a goal and assisted on two others. It was Barrie’s first goal of the postseason, and he is now up to eight points through seven games during these playoffs. Barrie, who established franchise records for career goals, assists, and points by a defenseman this season, became just the fourth Avalanche/Nordiques blueliner to register multiple three-point outings in the playoffs. He also had three points in Game 5 of the first round.
Philipp Grubauer allowed three goals on 34 shots. Grubauer has now won five of seven postseason games and has been the backbone of the Avalanche so far. He picked up the secondary assist on MacKinnon’s goal into an empty net.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 3.18
- Shots: 33.03
- PP/PK Percentage: 21.84
- Goals: 2.98
- Shots: 31.93
- PP/PK Percentage: 21.40
Sharks vs Avalanche 2019 NHL Playoffs Betting Trends
- Home team is 36-15 in the last 51 meetings
- Favorite is 36-15 in the last 51 meetings
- Over is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings in Colorado
- Sharks are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games against Colorado
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Jose’s last 5 games on the road
- Avalanche are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games
- The total has gone OVER in 6 of Colorado’s last 6 games against San Jose
Expert Final Score Prediction for Sharks vs Avalanche
San Jose Sharks 3 – Colorado Avalanche 4
