Flames vs Avalanche Pick – NHL Predictions & Odds 1/18/23

The Colorado Avalanche and Calgary Flames meet Wednesday in NHL action at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Let’s preview this game and give out a pick and prediction.

The Colorado Avalanche Preview

The Colorado Avalanche are averaging 3 goals per game and are scoring on 24 percent of their power play opportunities. Mikko Rantanen leads Colorado with 29 goals, Nathan MacKinnon has 34 assists and Cale Maker has 136 shots on goal. Defensively, the Colorado Avalanche are allowing 2.8 goals per game and are killing 75.9 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Alexandar Georgiev has allowed 82 goals on 952 shots faced, and Pavel Francouz has given up 31 goals on 374 shots.

The Calgary Flames Preview

The Calgary Flames are averaging 3.1 goals per game and are scoring on 20 percent of their power play opportunities. Nazem Kadri leads Calgary with 17 goals, Elias Lindholm has 26 assists and Mikael Backlund has 143 shots on goal. Defensively, the Calgary Flames are allowing 2.9 goals per game and are killing 82.1 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Jacob Markstrom has allowed 84 goals on 795 shots faced, and Dan Vladar has given up 42 goals on 453 shots.

Trends

The Avalanche are 89-37 in their last 126 games following a win and 126-61 in their last 187 overall. The Flames are 11-2 in their last 13 Wednesday games and 2-5 in their last 7 vs. Central. The under is 19-9-2 in Avalanche last 30 overall. The under is 8-3 in Flames last 11 overall. The Avalanche are 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Calgary and 8-3 in the last 11 meetings. The underdog is 8-3 in the last 11 meetings.

Randy’s Free Pick

The Calgary Flames should be favored at home, as these teams have been even this season for the most part. However, you usually don’t have the Avs at these sorts of prices and while they’ve been hit or miss these last few weeks they’re still more than good enough defensively to get a big road win. I can’t turn down the plus money here.