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Colorado Avalanche vs Edmonton Oilers January 16th 2025
Betting on today’s Oilers and Avalanche game? Catch the action at Ball Arena in Denver, CO, as the Avalanche hosts this showdown at 9:30 ET on ESPN. This Western conference matchup has an over/under of 6.5 goals, and the Avalanche are favored by -1.5 goals vs. the Oilers.
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Edmonton vs. Colorado Key Information
- Teams: Oilers at Avalanche
- Where: Ball Arena Denver
- Date: Thursday, January 16th
- Betting Odds COL -132 | EDM +111 O/U 6.5
The Oilers Can Win If…
With a 4-2 win over the Flames, the Oilers improved to 28-13-3. Edmonton covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 6 goals fell short of the 6.5 set before the game.
Edmonton had four different players score in the game, and they led 2-0 before Calgary tied it up. Zach Hyman’s goal in the third period put the Oilers ahead for good, and Mattias Janmark added an empty-netter to seal the victory.
Edmonton’s offense produced 4 goals on 31 shots in their 4-2 win over Calgary. The Oilers got off to a quick start, scoring twice in the first period, with Leon Draisaitl netting his 9th goal of the season. Jeff Skinner followed with his 3rd goal.
Zach Hyman added his 3rd goal on a power play in the third period. The Oilers sealed the game with Mattias Janmark’s 2nd goal, an empty-netter with just 3 seconds left. Draisaitl also contributed two assists, bringing his season total to 8.
Defensively, the Oilers allowed the Flames to tie the game at 2-2 with 4:28 gone in the 3rd period, but they didn’t give up another goal after that. Stuart Skinner made 29 saves with a 93.5% save percentage, and the Oilers’ defense registered 2 takeaways and 19 hits.
- Spanning across their last three games, Edmonton have gone 3-0. However, they have only gone 1-2 vs. the puck line over this stretch. Their over-under record in these three games was 2-1.
- The Oilers have gone 7-3 over their last ten regular season games. In these contests, the team went just 4-6 against the spread, while going 5-5 on the over-under.
The Avalanche Can Win If…
With a 5-2 loss to the Predators, the Avalanche now sit at 27-17-1. Colorado was the underdog on the puck line, and the total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, with the 7 combined goals going over that mark.
Colorado took the lead with a goal from Cale Makar early in the second period, but Nashville responded with five unanswered goals. Nathan MacKinnon scored for the Avalanche at 17:43 in the third period, cutting the deficit to 3-2, before the Predators added two empty-net goals to seal the win.
Despite taking 30 shots on goal, the Avalanche only managed to score twice in their 5-2 loss to Nashville. Cale Makar netted his 5th goal of the season on a power play, while Nathan MacKinnon added his 6th goal, which came with just 2:17 left in the 3rd period.
MacKinnon also picked up his 14th assist on Makar’s goal, and Makar recorded his 16th assist on MacKinnon’s late 3rd-period goal. The Avalanche had 23 giveaways in the game.
Defensively, the Avalanche struggled late, giving up the final two goals on empty-netters with 1:14 and 0:41 remaining in the 3rd period. Justus Annunen made 21 saves with a save percentage of 87.5%. Colorado’s defense also recorded 11 takeaways and 26 hits.
- Over their last three games, the Avalanche have gone 2-1 straight up. Across these games, they have put together an puck line mark of 1-2 as well as an over-under record of 1-2.
- Through their last ten regular season contests, Colorado has a record of 7-3. The team’s record vs the puck line was just 5-5, in addition to an over-under mark of 4-6.
The Lean
For a moneyline pick, I’m taking the Avalanche to pick up on a win over the Oilers at home. With the moneyline sitting at -132, I’ll be locking in a bet on the Avalanche straight-up.
For my recommended choice in the puck line, I’m leaning towards the Oilers to cover. Even if the Avalanche secure a straight-up win, this game is expected to be tightly contested, and the Oilers should cover the puck line.
If you’re looking at the over/under line set at 6.5 goals, our prediction is that this game will exceed that mark, and we strongly advise placing a bet on the over.
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Oilers Face Travel Woes, High-Powered Avalanche in Mile High Battle
The Edmonton Oilers continue their grueling road stretch on Thursday night, facing a red-hot Colorado Avalanche team in Denver just 24 hours after taking down the Minnesota Wild.
The Oilers’ 5-3 victory in Minnesota marked their third straight win and seventh in their past eight games, pushing them into second place in the Pacific Division. But with travel fatigue setting in, they’ll now go up against one of the most explosive offenses in the NHL.
Oilers Rolling Despite Road Grind
Edmonton has been living out of their suitcases, with seven of eight games on the road, including a quick stop at home before heading right back on the road.
“The schedule has been tight, lots of games, lots of travel. You have to find a way to win those games,” said Leon Draisaitl, who ranks second in the NHL with 65 points (31 goals, 34 assists).
Despite the fatigue, Connor McDavid insists the Oilers aren’t slowing down.
“I like how we’re playing. We’ll be fine,” McDavid said after tallying two goals and an assist in Minnesota. He now sits fourth in the NHL in scoring with 62 points.
Clash of NHL’s Top Scorers
Thursday’s showdown will feature four of the NHL’s top five point leaders:
- Nathan MacKinnon (COL) – 70 points (15G, 55A)
- Leon Draisaitl (EDM) – 65 points (31G, 34A)
- Connor McDavid (EDM) – 62 points (19G, 43A)
- Mikko Rantanen (COL) – 61 points (25G, 36A)
The Oilers have been on fire offensively, but the Avalanche’s dynamic top line, led by MacKinnon and Rantanen, has been just as lethal.
Blackwood’s Impact in Colorado
The Avalanche will be looking for revenge after the Oilers beat them 4-1 in Denver on Nov. 30. That game turned out to be Alexandar Georgiev’s last as Colorado’s No. 1 goalie, as he was traded to San Jose for Mackenzie Blackwood, who has since solidified the Avalanche crease.
Since arriving in Colorado, Blackwood has been nearly unbeatable:
- 9-2-1 record
- 1.68 goals-against average (GAA) – nearly 2 full goals lower than Georgiev’s 3.38 GAA
- .938 save percentage
Blackwood was the difference in Tuesday’s 3-2 OT win over the Rangers, stopping multiple breakaways and making 27 saves.
“We probably gave up 12 grade-A scoring chances, and for him to only give up two goals is extremely impressive,” Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews said after scoring the game-winner.
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Colorado backup Scott Wedgewood (2.35 GAA in 7 games) has been activated from injured reserve and could get the start if the Avalanche opt to rest Blackwood.
Projected Goaltending Battle
- Edmonton Oilers: Likely Stuart Skinner (19-8-1, 2.70 GAA, .910 SV%), as Calvin Pickard (32 saves vs. Minnesota) played Wednesday.
- Colorado Avalanche: Likely Mackenzie Blackwood (9-2-1, 1.68 GAA, .938 SV%), though Scott Wedgewood could get the nod.
Final Outlook
The Oilers have the offensive firepower to keep up with Colorado, but fatigue from back-to-back road games could be a major factor. The Avalanche’s improved goaltending and home-ice advantage will make this a tough test for Edmonton.
With McDavid, Draisaitl, MacKinnon, and Rantanen on the ice, expect fireworks in this battle between two of the NHL’s elite teams.
