NHL Picks Today: NHL Best Bets, Prediction and Picks for Wild vs. Avalanche Game 2

Top NHL Picks at a Glance

• Colorado Avalanche Moneyline

Whether it's moneylines, goal props, or who lights the lamp, there are plenty of ways to bet on NHL action all season. It's a long 82-game campaign, meaning that the best selections of each night can be very different based on backup goalies coming into play, injuries that add up, and if teams are due for positive or negative swings.

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Let's dive into the best bets for tonight.

NHL odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

Today's Best NHL Betting Picks and Props

Colorado Avalanche Moneyline

The Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche meet for Game 2 of their Western Conference Second Round series on Tuesday at 8:00 PM ET at Ball Arena in Denver. Colorado leads 1-0 after one of the most spectacular playoff games in recent memory — a 9-6 Avalanche victory in Game 1 that became only the 10th playoff game in NHL history with at least 15 combined goals and just the second since 1994. There were 14 different goal scorers and five goals in each period. The question for Game 2 is whether the chaos of Sunday night was a one-time outlier or a pattern that defines this series going forward.

The Game 1 Context

Cale Makar scored twice in the third period after returning from an undisclosed ailment sustained on a hit by Marcus Foligno in the first period. Nathan MacKinnon added two points, Devon Toews had a goal and three assists, and Scott Wedgewood — who posted a 1.21 GAA and .950 save percentage in the opening-round sweep of Los Angeles — allowed six goals on 36 shots. The same goaltender who barely allowed anything against the Kings was lit up for six goals in a single night.

Colorado coach Jared Bednar was direct after the game: "It's not that we weren't emotionally engaged in the game and physically engaged in the game, because I think we were, but not enough on the defensive side. We were on the offensive side. Forecheck looked good. We did some good things, but like when it came to the defending, I feel like we forgot a little bit just how hard we need to work to be good defensively."

For Minnesota's part, Quinn Hughes had a goal and two assists, and Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, Ryan Hartman, Marcus Johansson, Mats Zuccarello, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Marcus Foligno all scored. The Wild are not a team that is going away quietly despite being down a game to the Presidents' Trophy winners.

The Injury Picture

Both Jonas Brodin and Joel Eriksson Ek have been ruled out of Game 2 as well, meaning Minnesota's defensive and forward depth problems continue. Brodin's absence forces Brock Faber and Quinn Hughes into extended minutes against Colorado's elite top line, and Eriksson Ek's absence removes a key penalty kill specialist from a unit that already allowed ten power-play goals in six first-round games against Dallas.

Cale Makar was not given an official injury update after the game, saying only "I was just trying to get back and feel good. It's not fun when you kind of tweak something, but it happens. Got to be ready for it." He played through the ailment in Games 1 and 2 against the Avalanche regularly, and his two-goal third-period performance suggests any issue is minor rather than limiting.

The Structural Case for Game 2

The single most reliable predictive factor for Game 2 after a high-scoring first game in the NHL playoffs is regression toward defensive play. Both coaches will emphasize tightening up. Both goaltenders will feel motivated by their Game 1 performances — Wedgewood for allowing six goals against a weaker regular-season opponent than expected, Wallstedt for allowing nine goals in a 9-6 loss. "I don't think we're going to see that again," Makar said after the game. "It's probably a one-off, but glad we were able to stick with it and find a way to win."

Colorado led the NHL with a 64% goal share at 5-on-5 when playing on home ice, meaning the Avalanche's structural advantages — MacKinnon, Makar, Necas, Landeskog, home ice, altitude — are fully intact heading into Tuesday. The Game 1 result reinforced the Avalanche's talent advantage. Minnesota showed they can score but allowed nine goals against. Colorado showed they can outshoot and outscale anyone but surrendered more goals in one game than they allowed in the entire four-game first-round sweep.

Minnesota's Penalty Kill Is the Critical Variable

Through six games in Round 1, Minnesota's penalty kill efficiency was just 60%, allowing ten power-play goals against on 25 opportunities. Colorado's power play — featuring MacKinnon, Makar, Martin Necas, and Gabriel Landeskog — is a completely different animal than what Dallas deployed. In Game 1, Lehkonen scored on a power play to extend Colorado's lead to 3-0, demonstrating immediately that the Wild's PK vulnerability will be exploited repeatedly in this series.

Best Bet of the Night -- Avs Moneyline

The Avalanche are the right side of this moneyline for a straightforward reason: they are the better team, they have home ice, and they will be far more motivated to address their defensive breakdowns than they were in Game 1 when the offense carried them through a circus.

Colorado swept the Los Angeles Kings in four games in the first round, never allowing a Corsi rate below 50% and outscoring the Kings 9-2 at five-on-five. The Avalanche have been the best 5-on-5 team in the league all season. The nine-goal Game 1 was an anomaly in their defensive architecture, not a blueprint. Bednar's coaching staff will have two days to install the same locked-down defensive structure that allowed only five goals in four games against Los Angeles.

Minnesota's 5-on-5 metrics were actually favorable against Dallas — outscoring them 14-4 — but Odds Shark noted that the Wild "rarely controlled possession of the puck with only one game with a Corsi rate over 50%." Colorado isn't going to be as wasteful as Dallas was at 5-on-5. The Avalanche will dominate possession, and Minnesota's PK will face repeated exposure against the best power play unit in the Western Conference.

The Avalanche are -265 series favorites with good reason. In a Game 2 where motivation, adjustments, home ice, and talent all favor Colorado.

NHL Betting -- Frequently Asked Questions

What is the moneyline in NHL betting?

The moneyline is a straight-up bet on which team will win the game — no spread involved. Favorites are listed with a negative number (e.g., -160), meaning you'd need to wager $160 to win $100. Underdogs carry a positive number (e.g., +140), meaning a $100 bet returns $140 in profit.

What is the puck line?

The puck line is hockey's version of a point spread. It is almost always set at 1.5 goals. The favorite must win by two or more goals to cover, while the underdog can lose by one goal and still cover.

How does the over/under (total) work in hockey?

FanDuel sets a total number of goals for the game (including overtime and shootout goals). You bet whether the actual combined score will go Over or Under that number. NHL totals typically range from 5.5 to 6.5 goals. The shootout winner will have a goal added to their total. For example, if the score is 2-2 after regulation, and one team wins the shootout, the final score for settlement purposes is 3-2. However, some prop bets are settled on regulation time only — always check the specific rules for each bet at your sportsbook.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.