Flames vs. Avalanche Prediction
The Calgary Flames have won four straight games heading into tonight’s showdown at a Colorado Avalanche squad that has won six in a row. Is Calgary going to keep rolling with a win as the underdogs in this spot?
Game Snapshot
39 Calgary Flames at 40 Colorado Avalanche
Monday, December 9, 2019
Pepsi Center at 9:05PM ET
TV: ESPN+
Compare odds from multiple different online sportsbooks and shop for the best lines at our NHL Odds & Betting Page.
Public Betting Information
According to oddsmakers, the Avalanche are a -145 favorite to win on the moneyline. The Flames are a +125 underdog, while the over-under is set at 6 goals. As of Monday afternoon, 53 percent of public bets are being placed on host Colorado. Check out our NHL Public Betting Page for the latest updates.
Flames edge Kings
Calgary downed visiting Los Angeles 4-3 Saturday night to improve to 15-12-4 on the season. The Flames trailed 2-0 in the first period before a Milan Lucic power play goal with 1:46 on the clock on assists from Mikael Backlund and Derek Ryan. Zac Rinaldo scored at the 16:59 mark of the second period to even the score at 2-2 on assists by Dillon Dube and Tobias Rieder. Sean Monahan gave Calgary a 3-2 advantage later in the second on a goal assisted by Johnny Gaudreau. Dube made it 4-2 1:29 into the third period as Ryan and Lucic drew assists. The Kings pulled within a goal four minutes later, but were unable to find the equalizer. Cam Talbot registered 30 saves on 33 shots in the winning effort.
Avs roll at Bruins
Colorado earned a 4-1 win Saturday night at Boston to move to 19-8-2 on the season. The Avs trailed 1-0 in the first period before scoring four unanswered goals the rest of the way, starting with a Valeri Nichushkin goal at the 2:35 mark of the first on an assist courtesy of Matt Nieto. Ian Cole gave Colorado a 2-1 advantage midway through the second period on assists from Mark Barberio and Joonas Donskoi. Andre Burakovsky pushed it to 3-1 with 1:39 to go in the second on assists by Nathan MacKinnon and Donskoi. Gabriel Landeskog scored an empty-net goal with three seconds left in the game to ice it with an assist from Marc-Edouard Bellemare. Phillip Grubauer started the game for the Avalanche and gave up one goal on four shots. Pavel Francouz entered in relief and stopped all 16 shots the rest of the contest.
NHL Betting Trends
Calgary
The Flames are 2-5 in their last seven road games. Calgary is 3-13 in its last 16 games versus the Central Division.
Colorado
The Avalanche are 6-0 in the last six meetings. Colorado is 21-7 in its last 28 home games.
Prediction:
The Avs’ have had the Flames’ number the last couple of seasons and I think that continues here. While Calgary has played better and looser since the firing of disgraced former head coach Bill Peters, I think it will struggle here in a tough road environment against a red-hot opponent. Grubauer is expected to be back in net tonight after leaving with an apparent injury two nights ago. But even if he does not take the ice, Francouz has a lot of confidence after his strong effort in Boston. With so much firepower up front and a well-rounded team, I think the Avs run their win streak to seven games tonight.
NHL DAILY PREDICTION: COLORADO AVALANCHE -145