Colorado Avalanche (45-15-5) at Vegas Golden Knights (47-17-4)
The Golden Knights have won the last three games of this series after dropping the first two games and can close it out on home ice with a win. This game can be seen on NBCSN.
No shock the Golden Knights are the betting favorite in this Game 6 at -145 with the Avalanche posted at +125 and a total sitting at 5.5 goals.
The Avs had won 11 in a row before losing their last three games. They have their backs against the wall down 3-2 in this series and their “dynamic” attack only has five goals in the last three games.
The Golden Knights are one game away from the next round of the playoffs and they have played great defense in winning the last three games of this series. They are the betting favorite on home ice in this game and they have won five of their last seven games as a home favorite.
The home team has won four of the five games in this series.
Where is the Attack?
The Avs have lost the last three games of this series only totaling five goals while they lead the playoffs with an average of 3.89 goals per game and led the league in the regular season in that category as well.
In the 3-2 overtime loss in Game 5 Colorado scored the first two goals of the game but allowed Vegas to score two goals in the third period to force the extra period.
Brandon Saad and Joonas Donskoi each scored a goal in the Game 5 loss and the Avs took the loss despite having more shots in the game (30-25).
Philipp Grubauer (30-9-1 1.95 GAA regular season) has started every game in goal in this series and while he had a GAA under 2.00 in the regular season that is not the case this post-season (2.33) and he has given up 11 goals in losing the last three games of this series.
Nathan MacKinnon has 13 points (8 goals 5 assists) in the post-season but the star has failed to register a point in the last three games. Saad has seven goals in the playoffs and he has lit the lamp in three in a row and in seven of the last eight games.
Colorado is 21-6 in their last 27 games after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Defense Has Turned It Around
After giving up two goals in losing the first two games of this series the Golden Knights have only given up five goals in winning the last three games.
In the Game 5 win Alex Tuch and Jonathan Marchessault scored in regulation and Mark Stone played the hero scoring the game-winner only 50 seconds into overtime.
Marc-Andre Fleury (26-10-0 1.98 GAA) stopped 28 of 30 shots in the last game and he has been in goal for the last three Vegas wins only giving up five goals. He leads all goalies in the playoffs with a GAA of only 1.81 but only ranks tied for eighth in save percentage.
William Karlsson leads Vegas in the post-season with 10 points (3 goals 7 assists) and he has four assists, to go with a goal, in the last three games. Marchessault leads the club with seven goals with five of them coming in the last three games.
The Golden Knights are 37-14 in their last 51 games as a home favorite.
Prediction
The Golden Knights have all the momentum heading into Game 6 after winning the last three games of this series. Their defense has done a great job containing the great Colorado attack and I look for that to continue facing an Avs team that will be pressing in this game.
Vegas will play well on home ice and they will frustrate the Avs yet again and keep their offense in check. Because of that they will win this game in a close contest and advance in the playoffs.
PICK: Golden Knights -145