Avalanche vs. Blues Game 3 Odds, Prediction, Pick (May 21, 2021)

The Blues have proven to be plucky and worthy opponent to the Avalanche. The difference is, the Avalanche are on a completely different level right now. When they need to score, they score. When they need to make a crucial stop, they make it. Sometimes you can just watch a team play and know that, barring anything catastrophic, like season-ending injuries to multiple players, they have the look and feel of a championship team.

Let’s take a look at the Game 3 matchup between St. Louis and Colorado from a betting perspective in our Blues vs. Avalanche betting preview with odds, picks and predictions.

That’s the Avalanche right now.

That being said, St. Louis is not out of this series yet. Not by a long shot. All Colorado did was hold serve by winning two games at home, as expected. If the Blues do the same thing, we have a best-of-three to decide it. However, if the Blues are going to hold serve, they need a better start tonight than the ones they had in the first two games. You can’t get behind the Avalanche and chase them, expecting to win. You have to jump out early, maintain a lead, and force them to over-pursue as they chase the game for once, and then you have to remain opportunistic.

It’s tough beating a Goliath, but there is a path, and if the Blues are going to start down that path, it has to begin with Game 3. There is no more wiggle room for the Blues.

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Avalanche vs. Blues Game 3 Betting Pick (May 21, 2021)

Colorado exploded offensively in Game 2 for a 6-3 win, but that score is a little more deceptive than the game would indicate. Although the Avalanche built a quick 3-0 lead behind two goals from Joonas Donskoi and, oh yeah, that Nathan MacKinnon guy, the Blues fought back to within a goal twice – both at 3-2 and 4-3 – before Colorado potted a pair of empty net goals to make the score seem more lopsided than it was.

Getting the Avalanche away from Ball Arena though could be the biggest change in this series. They’re still a good team overall on the road (17-9-2), but they average six fewer shots per game and allow an average of three more shots per game then they do in Denver.

Moreover, they don’t seem to have that same jumpstart in games that they have at home. Colorado led after the first period in just 10 of 28 road games.

As for the Blues, they weren’t very good on home ice in the regular season (12-11-5), but were still successful when they had the lead after 20 minutes (7-0-3). As such, the start to tonight’s game will be critical and should dictate who picks up the all-important ‘W’ at the end of the night.

Avalanche vs. Blues Game 3 Odds

Here are the lines for Avalanche vs. Blues at DraftKings Sportsbook:

Team	Spread	Moneyline	Total
Avalanche	-1.5 (+120)	-220	O 5.5 (-117)
Blues	-1.5 (-150)	+185	U 5.5 (-105)

Bets We Like With an Avalanche Win

Nathan MacKinnon to score 2+ points (-106, DraftKings)

You want to talk about how well MacKinnon is playing right now? So much so that it’s basically even money for him to get on the scoresheet twice or more? At this point, you might as well bet whatever MacKinnon props are out there. You are bound to win most, if not all such bets. At DraftKings: Score the first or last goal (+700); score ANY goal (-106); OVER 3.5 shots on goal (-215); score 2+ goals (+425);  score 1+ points (-400); score 3+ points (+425). On FanDuel: OVER 0.5 goals (+122); OVER 1.5 points (+118); OVER 4 shots on goal (-124); and OVER 0.5 power play points (-106).

MacKinnon is bank.

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Bets We Like With a Blues Win

Blues to win AND UNDER 5.5 goals (+430, DraftKings)

The Blues need to win. They need to score first. And they need to keep it a close, low-scoring affair. This is really possible tonight. It’s hard to put a good team down 3-0 in a series.

St. Louis went 2-2 on home ice this season against the Avalanche, but only one of those four games – the most recent – was under 5.5. goals. They need to re-channel that energy from that outing. If you want to protect your bet a little bit, you get less but still worthwhile by bumping the over/under line to 6 goals (+375) or move it a whole puck to 6.5 (+350) and still bet the under.

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Bets We Like Independent of Outcome

OVER 1.5 goals in the first period (-121, DraftKings)

Is it odd that we are recommending an over total for one period but an under total for the game? Yes, it is. But this is hockey. You have to learn to embrace the weird.

The reality is both St. Louis and Colorado score and give up first period goals. The Blues outscored their opponents 54-46 in the first period this season, and they were even 25-25 on home ice. The Avalanche outscored their opponents 55-41 in the first period, and 24-21 on the road. The scoring in this game is going to come early, and then disappear until late, much like Game 1.

Avalanche vs. Blues Game 3 Prediction

The Blues need to win one. Colorado is talented enough to sweep any team in a best-of-seven series, including St. Louis, but when the Blues’ backs were against the wall in the regular season and Colorado came to town, the Blues beat the Avalanche – twice. We think they do it once more tonight. Blues 3, Avalanche 2.

Pick: Blues 3, Avalanche 2

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