Game 1 between the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche opens what shapes up as one of the most compelling second-round series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Colorado enters as the top team in the Central Division after a dominant regular season, while Minnesota arrives having won three games in a row to close out the Dallas Stars in the opening round. Before this series opener begins, continue reading to get my Wild vs Avalanche Game 1 prediction.
Wild vs Avalanche Game 1 Pick
- Pick: Colorado Avalanche -1.5
- Confidence: 4 out of 5
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Minnesota Wild vs Colorado Avalanche
- Date & Time: Sunday, May 3, 9:00 PM
- Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
- Broadcast: TNT, truTV
Key Storylines
Recent form
Colorado closed the regular season in dominant fashion, going 9-0-1 over its last 10 games and riding a five-game winning streak into the postseason. They followed that up with a four-game sweep of the LA Kings in the first round of the playoffs. Minnesota has also enjoyed a recent winning streak, taking three straight games to end their series with the Stars.
Goaltending
The projected goaltending duel features Jesper Wallstedt for Minnesota against Scott Wedgewood for Colorado. Wallstedt has been solid in the playoffs with a .924 save percentage and 2.05 goals against average, but Wedgewood has been even sharper lately, carrying a .950 save percentage and a 1.21 goals against average. That edge in net tilts the matchup further in Colorado’s favor, especially given the Avalanche’s ability to limit high-danger chances.
Key skaters
Minnesota will look to Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy to generate offense, with Boldy producing 6 goals and 9 points in the first round. Colorado counters with elite talent led by Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog. The Avalanche also benefit from a deeper blue line and stronger possession numbers, averaging over 33 shots per game compared to Minnesota’s 29.2.
The balance for the Avs was something to behold in the first round of the playoffs. Colorado didn’t have a single player amass over four points in four games against the Kings. But they don’t need to rely too heavily on any individual player, and that is a huge advantage for them.
Betting Trends & H2H
- These teams each won two games over one another during the regular season.
- Colorado is 2-0 at home in the playoffs so far and 4-0 in the playoffs overall.
- Minnesota won two of its three road games against the Stars in the opening round.
Wild vs Avalanche Game 7 Model Projection
- Score Projection: Minnesota Wild 2 – Colorado Avalanche 4
- Win Probability: Minnesota Wild 38%, Colorado Avalanche 62%
All indicators point toward Colorado holding the upper hand in Game 1. The Avalanche combine top-tier offensive production with a defense that allowed a total of five goals in four games in the opening round. Minnesota has respectable numbers of its own, but the gap in shot generation and goaltending between these teams is difficult to ignore. I’m going to lay the puckline with the Avs, as they should successfully set the tone for this series.
More NHL Picks
