Florida Panthers vs Colorado Avalanche: Game Preview, Predictions, Odds, Betting Tips & more | Jan. 6, 2024

Modified Jan 06, 2024 11:40 GMT

The Colorado Avalanche (25-11-3) welcome the Florida Panthers (24-12-2) to the Ball Arena, on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET, with the game to be broadcast on ESPN+, ALT and BSFL.

Colorado's previous outing on Saturday resulted in a 5-4 road triumph against the Dallas Stars, while on the same day, Florida had a 4-1 victory on the road against the Golden Knights.

Florida Panthers vs Colorado Avalanche: Game preview

The Colorado Avalanche, riding a four-game winning streak, have an impressive 16-4-0 record at home and a strong overall 25-11-3 record. They are seventh in league play with an average of 10.7 penalty minutes per game.

Leading the offensive charge is Nathan MacKinnon, who has amassed 64 points in 39 games, showcasing his prowess with 22 goals and 42 assists. Additionally, Cale Makar has been instrumental in Colorado's scoring efforts, contributing 48 points, including 37 assists.

In goal, Alexander Georgiev holds an 21-8-2, record this season, demonstrating his skills with a 2.93 GAA and .897 SV%.

Meanwhile, the Florida Panthers have had strong performances on the road, with a 12-7-2 record and 24-12-2 overall. With a notable +21 scoring differential, the Panthers have scored 115 goals and allowed 94.

Carter Verhaeghe has been a standout offensive force, tallying 20 goals and 16 assists. Sam Reinhart has been equally impressive, accumulating 25 goals and 22 assists in 38 games, for 47 points.

In goal, Sergei Bobrovsky boasts an 18-9-1 record for the season, accompanied by a 2.44 GAA and a .912 SV%.

Florida Panthers vs Colorado Avalanche: Head-to-head and significant numbers

The Panthers and Avalanche have faced each other 51 times, including regular season and playoffs, with the Panthers holding an overall record of 17-30-3-1 (36%).
In regular-season contests, the Panthers have a 17-26-3-1 (39.4%) record against the Avalanche.
The Panthers' longest winning streak over the Avalanche is two games on three occasions.
The Avalanche exhibit a robust penalty-killing prowess, neutralizing 82.84% of opponent power plays, ranking ninth in the league. Meanwhile, the Panthers boast the sixth best penalty kill percentage at 84.17%.
In faceoff, the Panthers are 12th in the NHL with 50.8%, while the Avalanche are 20th with a 49.3% success rate.

Florida Panthers vs Colorado Avalanche: Odds and prediction

This season, Colorado has excelled with a 23-12 record when favored by odds. In 31 games with odds shorter than -136, the Avalanche have clinched victory 20 times, projecting a 57.6% chance of winning the upcoming game.

Meanwhile, the Panthers, as the underdog nine times this season, have pulled off four upsets. When odds list the team at +115 or longer, Florida holds a 2-3 record, with a 46.5% chance of victory.

Prediction: Panthers 5-3 Avalanche