Trying For Three Straight
The Colorado Avalanche haven’t won consecutive road games in almost two months. A meeting with the Los Angeles Kings could change that.
The Avalanche look for their third straight victory while trying to hand the Kings their fourth loss in a row when the teams meet Monday night at Staples Center.
Oddsmakers from SBG Global have made Colorado -122 money line favorites (NHL Odds) for today’s game, the over/under has been set at 6 goals (Matchup). Current public betting information shows that 84% of bets for this game have been placed on Colorado -122 (View NHL Bet Percentages).
Colorado (18-13-1) beat Nashville 3-1 on Saturday to improve to 13-3-0 at the Pepsi Center. The victory was the fourth in five games for the Avalanche, who swept a home-and-home series with the Predators after taking the opener 2-1 on Thursday.
That victory at Nashville was Colorado’s first in three road contests since winning 5-2 at Los Angeles on Dec. 1. The Avalanche are 5-10-1 away from home and haven’t won two in a row on the road since Oct. 23 and 26.
Facing the Kings could help the Avs match that feat. Colorado’s victory at Los Angeles earlier this month snapped a three-game losing streak to the lowly Kings (12-19-2), losers of six of their last eight on home ice.
On Saturday, Paul Stastny scored his 14th goal, Marek Svatos added his eighth and Peter Budaj matched a season high with 31 saves for the Avalanche.
"Our ‘D’ is doing a great job, our forwards are doing a great job coming back and back-checking," said Budaj, 2-0-1 with a 2.45 goals-against average in his career against Los Angeles. "It makes my job much easier than before. It’s a credit to the whole team."
Stastny, among the NHL leaders with 40 points, had been held scoreless in his previous two contests – both on the road. The second-year center has 11 goals and 18 assists in 16 home games, but just three goals and eight assists in 16 road contests.
Stastny, though, recorded a goal and an assist in the Dec. 1 meeting at Los Angeles. He has a goal and three assists in three career games versus the Kings.
Captain Joe Sakic is expected to miss his ninth straight contest with a groin injury as the Avalanche try to win twice in a season at Los Angeles for the first time since 1985-86.
The Kings again struggled to generate much offense in a 2-1 loss to Minnesota on Saturday, their third straight defeat. Los Angeles fell 4-1 at Dallas on Thursday and has been outscored 12-5 during its three-game skid.
Rob Blake scored his second goal Saturday for the Kings, who’ve had defensemen score their two most recent goals.
Los Angeles went a season-worst 0-for-9 on the power play Saturday and is 1-for-15 in the last three games, but could start to benefit from the return of Alexander Frolov. The forward, who led the team with a career-high 35 goals last season, played Saturday after missing 11 games with a groin injury.
"I know I’m probably not in great shape right now, but I’m just trying to work hard and do the best I can every shift,” said Frolov, who has four goals and 16 assists in 22 games.
Anze Kopitar and Raitis Ivanans each had goals for Los Angeles in the Dec. 1 matchup with Colorado. Kopitar, the team leader with 15 goals and 32 points, has been held scoreless in his last two contests, but has three goals in five games against the Avalanche.
by: Staff Writers – Email Us
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