Dean Etheridge
The two betting favorites to win the 2023 Stanley Cup meet on Wednesday night, and here we look ahead to the clash between the Colorado Avalanche and the Boston Bruins in our free NHL betting picks.
The Avalanche have been struggling so far in 2022, whilst the Bruins have been flying high. Last weekend the Bruins demolished the Avalanche 5-1 at TD Garden, and in doing so, became the new favorites to win the Stanley Cup in 2023.
Another Win in the Pooh. pic.twitter.com/hr49tXUOtO
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 4, 2022
All season the Bruins have been closing in on the defending champions in the betting, but after Saturday night’s result, the two sides flipped in the betting odds with the Bruins going +550, and the Avalanche slipping to +600.
Elsewhere in the latest betting to be 2023 Stanley Cup winners, the Vegas Golden Knights (+850) are into third favorites after their win over the Bruins on Monday. The two sides couldn’t be separated after overtime, with the Golden Knights needing a shootout to eventually overcome the in-form team this season in the NHL.
Behind the Golden Knights come the New Jersey Devils (+1100), Toronto Maple Leafs (+1200), and the Tampa Bay Lightning (+1400).
| 2023 Stanley Cup Winner Betting |  |  |  |
| Boston Bruins | +550 | +525 | +525 |
| Colorado Avalanche | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | +850 | +800 | +800 |
| New Jersey Devils | +1100 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | +1400 | +1400 | +1300 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | +1400 | +1300 | +1200 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +1600 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Florida Panthers | +1800 | +1800 | +1700 |
| Calgary Flames | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| New York Rangers | +2200 | +1900 | +2000 |
| Edmonton Oilers | +2200 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Dallas Stars | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
| Winnipeg Jets | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
In conference betting futures, the Avalanche (+250) are still the favorites to win the Western Conference. Their closest betting rivals are the Golden Knights (+325), and the Calgary Flames at +800. The best NHL hockey betting sites seem to think that conference is a two-horse race.
As for the Bruins, they are the +275 betting favorites to win the Eastern Conference, they are followed in that market by the Devils (+450), and the Maple Leafs (+650).
Avalanche vs Bruins
The Colorado Avalanche are having a troubled season. Hit by a series of injuries, Jared Bednar’s team has lost three of it’s last four, and is on a losing streak of two. Their two most recent defeats were against the Bruins last Saturday, and at the hands of the Flyers (5-3) on Monday.
Let’s get home and heal up. #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/KGSxHBCtE6
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) December 6, 2022
The current Stanley Cup champions are 5-5-0 in their last ten, and there have been some shockers in that recent run. As well as the thrashing from Boston, they have also been beaten 5-0 away at the Jets, and went down 4-3 at home to the Canucks. Sandwiched in between those two losses at the end of November, was a 4-1 win over the Stars.
All in all, it has been a more than troubled start to the new campaign for the preseason favorites.
- Competition; NHL
- Match; Colorado Avalanche vs Boston Bruins
- Where; Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado
- When; Wednesday, December 7th, 2022
- Kick-Off; 9 pm ET
As for the Bruins, well where do we start? Crushing the Avalanche 5-1 must be one highlight of the season to date, but that doesn’t begin to tell the full story. Boston are currently clear at the top of the Atlantic Division with three matches in hand on closest rivals the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In their last ten fixtures they are 8-1-1, and over the course of the season they are 20-3-1. That compares favorably against the Avalanche who are 13-9-1 for the season.
They did suffer a setback in their last outing, losing a shootout to the Golden Knights after a 3-3 regulation time draw at TD Gardens. This was the first time they failed to win at home this season, with their record now standing at 14-0-1.
DID IT FOR BRUCE!!!!!!! #VegasBorn | #TheGoldenAge pic.twitter.com/AyQjTNeZ41
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) December 6, 2022
Avalanche vs Bruins Betting
In the latest NHL betting, the Avalanche are the outsiders on the moneyline at +150, with the Bruins at -170. On the handicap line, the Avalanche are receiving the +1.5 points start, and they are -160 to win from this position. Starting at -1.5 points, the Bruins are +140. Finally, in the total points market, six is the call. Over six goals is -125, with under six at +105.
First up, who will win? We can surely only really go for the Bruins on form. It wouldn’t be a huge shock to see Colorado win at home, but I’m struggling to justify picking them.
With the Bruins at -170 on the moneyline, and +140 on the handicap, I think if we’re going to take Boston to win, we might as well take the extra risk and the better odds. Therefore I make my first betting pick on this match a win on the handicap for the Boston Bruins.
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Total Points betting pick
Moving onto total points, and the Colorado Avalanche don’t seem to be able to play in a match with less than five goals in. Their last six matches have all had five or more goals scored in, and with their current form, and injuries, it’s hard to see that changing.
Of those six matches, over six goals would have won three times, with one match (between these two teams) finishing with six goals exactly.
I’m not totally convinced about this wager, so small stakes only, but given the way both sides have played lately, over 6 goals has to be the pick.
