Colorado Avalanche vs Utah Hockey Club Prediction, 12/27/2024 NHL Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Colorado Avalanche vs Utah Hockey Club

Date: Friday, December 27, 2024

Location: Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah

TV: Utah 16

Odds/Point Spread: Avalanche (-145) Hockey Club (+125)

The Utah Hockey Club (16-11-6) will try to defeat the Colorado Avalanche (21-15-0) at Delta Center on Friday. The moneyline on this contest has Colorado at -145 and Utah is priced at +125. The total comes in at 6.5.

The Colorado Avalanche came out of this game feeling pretty good about themselves with a 5-2 victory against the Kraken in their previous contest . Colorado accounted for 2 minutes in the box for this contest. Moreover, they had 4 chances with extra men on the ice and notched 1 goal. The Avalanche had a good offensive outing in the win. In the game, they tallied a score on 5 of the 29 shots they put on goal.

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Colorado Avalanche opponents have tallied 95 power play tries (21st in pro hockey) and have scored 21 goals in those chances. The Avalanche have seen 965 shots taken against them and hold a save percentage of .876. Colorado has attempted 1,050 shots and is the owner of a shooting percentage of 11.4%. While playing at even strength, the Avalanche have surrendered 99 goals while having 93 on offense. Colorado steps onto the ice with 112 power play chances and they have scored 27 goals during those advantages, giving them a percentage of 24.11%. For the current campaign, they have racked up 42 points and their points percentage is sitting at .583. Pertaining to their scoring, the Colorado Avalanche have accounted for 120 goals (5th in pro hockey) this season and have conceded 120.

Patrolling the crease for the game will be Mackenzie Blackwood. Blackwood has been involved in 219 games over the course of his hockey career. He has a mark of 84-92-25 and he was named the starter in 205 games. Opponents have tallied 625 goals versus Blackwood in his pro career and his goals against rate is 3.39. Blackwood has had 6,578 shots taken against him and has garnered 5,953 saves. His save percentage currently is .905 in his 11,054 mins guarding the cage. Over the course of his time in hockey, Blackwood is sitting with 112 quality starts and his percentage for quality starts is .546.

In their last contest, Utah faced the Ducks in an outing where the Hockey Club got the tie by a score of 4-4. They had 5 opportunities on the power play in this game and tallied 1 out of those chances. The Hockey Club had 4 goals out of the 25 shots on goal they took.

For the year, the Utah Hockey Club are sitting with 100 goals, 38 points, as well as a points percentage of .576. They have granted a total of 94 goals to be scored by of a combination of 69 goals at even strength and 25 goals while they were shorthanded. The Hockey Club have racked up 79 goals at even strength and 21 goals (14th in the NHL) while having a power play advantage. They have a tally of 96 power play chances and they have a power play rate of 21.88%. Utah has attempted 890 shots (27th in the league) and has earned a shot percentage of 11.24%, while allowing the opposition 932 shots. They have accumulated a penalty kill percentage of 79.34% on their opponents 121 power play tries, and their save percentage is 89.9%.

For the opposition you are likely to see Karel Vejmelka protecting the goal. His opposition is averaging 3.80 goals per game and he has surrendered 494 goals in total. Vejmelka's quality start rate sits at 46.6% and he has earned 69 quality starts in his NHL career. He has started in 148 games and has been on the ice for 7,800 minutes. Vejmelka has accumulated a lifetime record of 52-82-13 and has been in goal for 159 games. He has racked up 4,446 saves out of the 4,940 shots taken, which gives him a save % of .900.

Who will win tonight's NHL game against the spread or moneyline?

Tony's Pick: Take Colorado (-145)

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