Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche Game 5: Prediction & Best Bets

The Avalanche continue to run away with an impressive 3-1 series lead in this epic second round of the NHL playoffs. Get ready for a do-or-die Game 5 against the Wild, with puck drop at 8 pm tonight at Ball Arena.

Game 4 of this series saw a dominant Avalanche side put four past Minnesota at their own Xcel Energy Center in the third period for a crushing 5-2 victory after trailing by a goal in the first. Five different Colorado goal scorers made their mark.

So far in these playoffs, the Avalanche have lost only one out of eight games, and are on track to progress to the Conference Finals just four years after winning their last Stanley Cup.

The team kicked off a six-game postseason winning streak, halted by their only loss so far in a 5-1 defeat on the road in Game 3 against Minnesota on May 9. They responded promptly with a convincing 5-2 victory to take the 3-1 series lead and earn their 33rd goal of the playoffs.

The Wild absolutely need a win here to stay in the running, but it will be daunting against a solid team that has not lost on home ice in these playoffs.

Minnesota has scored at least two goals in every playoff game, putting up six goals in Game One against the Avalanche, but playing in Colorado territory has proved rough for any competition in this postseason. They will need to be at their best tonight.

Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche betting picks and predictions

Colorado Avalanche -1.5 (+125)

The Avalanche righteously carried over their 300+ goal regular season with 55 wins into the playoffs as they posted a 7-1 record, averaging over five goals a game. They make their stand for Game 5 at home, where they have yet to taste defeat in these playoffs.

Colorado has covered a -1.5 spread in five of their eight playoff games so far, including every match at home against Minnesota.

While the Wild are performing up to par and defeated tough Dallas opponents, the Avalanche is a different ball game. Minnesota has only covered a +1.5 spread in five of their games, and just once against the Avalanche.

With this one taking place at Ball Arena, and the Avalanche putting so many past their opponents, expect them to comfortably cover the -1.5 spread for this matchup once again.

Over 6.5 (-105)

Only one game of this series concluded with as few as six goals, as the rest saw seven or more, with a high of 15 in one game.

The Avalanche was the highest scoring team during the regular season (302 goals), now boasting a GF/G ratio of 4.13 in just eight games, compared to the next highest, the Wild, at 3.80 in 10. The Wild also hasn’t seen a playoff game conclude with fewer than five goals.

This one points towards the over 6.5 for tonight, given the stakes of the game, and considering both Colorado home games in this series ended with at least seven or more.

Matt Boldy to score any time (+150)

The Massachusetts-born left winger has been a real game-changer for Minnesota’s offense with 42 regular-season goals, now leading the postseason with seven. Six of his goals came against Dallas, with only one against the Avalanche so far.

With the stakes so high, Boldy won’t go down without a fight. Expect the 6’2” American to net at least one consolation goal for his second in three games, before potentially making a valiant Stanley Cup playoff exit against arguably the best team in the NHL.

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Colorado Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild odds

Colorado Avalanche	-200
Minnesota Wild	+165
Puck Line	COL Avalanche -1.5
Total	O/U 6.5

Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche player props

Anytime goalscorer

Nathan MacKinnon (COL Avalanche)	-115
Kirill Kaprizov (MIN Wild)	+150
Matt Boldy (MIN Wild)	+150
Martin Necas (COL Avalanche)	+160
Gabriel Landeskog (COL Avalanche)	+240
Nazem Kadri (COL Avalanche)	+250

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.