The West Division of the Stanley Cup Playoffs kicks off with the Colorado Avalanche visiting the St. Louis Blues for Game 1. The league’s top team of regular season and first place in the West takes on the fourth seed of the division. Who will come out on top?

With a five-game win streak, the Avalanche are looking to cement their dominance not only in the rankings, but in the playoffs as well. The Blues come into the battle with a three straight win streak. No doubt these two will duke it our roughly on Monday night. It’s time to dive into in this game!

NitroBetting news goes over the highlights of the upcoming game, including recent team form, the latest NHL odds, betting trends, and betting predictions, all of which are geared to help you lock in those winning picks. Don’t forget to check out more Hockey betting odds and lines at our online BTC sportsbook before placing your bets!

Avalanche vs. Blues Game 1 Information

• When: Monday, May 17, 2021, 10:00 PM ET
• Where: Enterprise Center, St. Louis, Missouri
• TV: NBS, SN1, TVAS, ALT, BSMW
• Radio: (Avalanche Altitude Sports 950 AM) / (Blues KMOX Radio 1120 AM)
• Live Stream: NHL Live
• NHL Betting Odds: Colorado Avalanche (-323) / OU: 5.5

READ MORE: Bruins vs. Capitals NHL Playoffs Odds and Game 2 Preview — May 17th, 2021

Why Bet on the Colorado Avalanche?

When looking at their stats, their numbers are insane. With more than 150 High-Danger Chances than the Blues, this gave them more than 34 goals scored in 56 games. And their goaltender, Philipp Grubauer, has stopped almost one half goal per game then the average goalkeeper. Those are quite the stats. You could say the pretty much have a lead.

Some of the players to look out for on this side is Nathan MacKinnon, who had 65 points in 48 games, though he didn’t lead the team in scoring. In their defense, the young Cale Make has been able to tally a point per game, so he’s been really growing fast for the team. Those two, alongside other veterans like Andre Burakovsky, Joonas Donskoi and captain Gabriel Landeskog, it’s a tough team to bring down.

Why Bet on the St. Louis Blues?

The former champions were almost out of the playoff picture. This was due to their encounters with the Avalanche back in March, along with other games that didn’t go in their favor. They were able to shake off the cobwebs in time to be eligible for the postseason, but it was hard for them to make that comeback.

The Blues were having a good run on the rode, but were only able to win five of the last 16 away games. Their player to keep an eye out for is Jordan Binnington. He basically saved the team during the late stages of the regular season, avoiding losses in regulation in the last 10 starts and conceded 2.20 goals per game during that final stretch. He’ll probably be the savior for St. Louis during the whole series.

READ MORE: Updated 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs Odds

Avalanche vs. Blues Betting Trends

• The Avalanche are 3-13 SU in the last 16 games against Carolina.
• The Avalanche are 4-1 SU in the last 5 games.
• The total went gone UNDER in 4 of the Avalanches’ last 6 games.
• The Blues are 8-4 SU in the last 12 games.
• The Blues are 3-8 SU in the last 11 games on the road.
• The total went UNDER in 5 of Blues’ last 7 games.

Avalanche vs. Blues Expert Betting Predictions

How can you bet against the favorite, who’s currently the top team in the NHL? Well, the easiest bet isn’t always the safest one. But considering they have one of the league’s top lines, scoring depth and a top defense, you have to be crazy to not bet on them. Then again, they haven’t been able to make it to the finals in quite a while.

On the other hand, the St. Louis Blues do have recent experience. They won the trophy just two seasons ago and still have players from that time. A total of 14 players to be exact. The veterans could be the factor that provides the Blues the needed advantage from the start. They are playing at home, so this might be the case.

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*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.