<p>Join Daily Faceoff’s Andy MacNeil as he handicaps Wednesday’s matchup between the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/colorado-avalanche/line-combinations">Colorado Avalanche</a> and <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/chicago-blackhawks/line-combinations">Chicago Blackhawks</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Avalanche vs. Blackhawks Odds</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Colorado Avalanche Moneyline: -250</li>



<li>Chicago Blackhawks Moneyline: +200</li>



<li>Puck Line: Avalanche -1.5 (+105), Blackhawks +1.5 (-125)</li>



<li>Game Total: 6.5 (Over -105, Under -115)</li>
</ul>



<p><em>Game odds via Sports Interaction.</em></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Handicapping the Avalanche (25-16 SU, 16-25 ATS, 20-18-3 O/U)</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/colorado-avalanche/news">Colorado</a> is rolling, with eight wins in its last 10 games. The Avalanche have lost just four times since the start of December, going 12-4 straight-up. Surprisingly, Colorado dropped a 5-2 decision in its lone meeting versus the Blackhawks this season, but the Avalanche have still gone 9-3 against Chicago since the start of the 2021-22 season.</p>



<p>Goaltending has been a big part of the team’s recent success. Since acquiring <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/mackenzie-blackwoods-extension-with-avalanche-already-looks-goodor-does-it">Mackenzie Blackwood</a>, no team has allowed fewer goals per 60 minutes in all situations. Before acquiring Blackwood, the team ranked 29th in goals against per 60 minutes. However, with Wednesday’s game being Colorado’s first in a back-to-back, Blackwood will start on Thursday. With backup <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/avalanches-scott-wedgewood-sidelined-at-least-week-to-week-after-suffering-injury">Scott Wedgewood sidelined</a>, that leaves <a href="https://x.com/evanrawal/status/1877010247828570276?s=46&amp;t=JZC09f4e3GtyBtRl3UgopQ">Trent Miner</a> to make his first NHL start in Chicago.</p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="151"></div>



<p>Miner, a seventh-round draft pick in 2019, has performed well in the American Hockey League, posting a .960 save percentage in 46 games with the Colorado Eagles. He got his first taste of NHL action on Nov. 15 when he relieved Justus Annunen, who allowed three goals on six shots against the Capitals. The Avalanche lost that game 5-2, but Miner stopped 12 of 13 shots in just under 35 minutes of ice time.</p>



<p>The Avalanche also rank as the league’s fifth-best offensive team this season. Since the start of December, only the Edmonton Oilers have scored more goals on a per-60-minute basis. Of course, <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/players/news/nathan-mackinnon/2130">Nathan MacKinnon</a> is leading the charge with seven goals and 30 points over that 16-game stretch, but <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/players/news/mikko-rantanen/2477">Mikko Rantanen</a> and <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/players/news/cale-makar/2788">Cale Makar</a> have also been scoring more than a point per game.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="137"></div>



<p>On the injury front, forward <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/avalanches-valeri-nichushkin-out-day-to-day-with-lower-body-injury-2">Valeri Nichushkin remains out with a lower-body injury</a> and is not expected to be back until the middle of January.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Handicapping the Blackhawks (13-27 SU, 19-21 ATS, 16-19-5 O/U)</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/chicago-blackhawks/news">Chicago</a> won four of six games following a <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/where-did-everything-go-wrong-with-luke-richardson-and-the-blackhawks">coaching change</a> on Dec. 6, but the Blackhawks dropped their final two games before the holiday break and have lost four of five since returning to action. This stretch includes an embarrassing 6-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues at Wrigley Field on New Year’s Eve, which prompted general manager Kyle Davidson to rip the team postgame.</p>



<p>The Blackhawks really haven’t improved under new head coach Anders Sorensen. The team still ranks among the bottom-five in expected goals percentage and shot attempts percentage, and only the San Jose Sharks have allowed more goals than the Blackhawks since he was promoted. Chicago is scoring more goals per 60 minutes under Sorensen, but the Blackhawks are still inconsistent. They’ve scored two or fewer goals in seven out of 14 games, and those all ended up being multi-goal losses.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="2" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="169"></div>



<p><a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/whats-causing-connor-bedards-sophomore-slump">Connor Bedard</a> has been a lot more productive, though, scoring five goals and 11 assists in 14 games. That almost matches his production (5-14–19) under the previous head coach, Luke Richardson. Bedard is the only point-per-game player under the new head coach, but Tyler Bertuzzi has been on a heater, scoring nine goals in those 14 games.</p>



<p><a href="https://x.com/croumeliotis/status/1877019026842374561?s=46&amp;t=JZC09f4e3GtyBtRl3UgopQ">Petr Mrazek</a>, who has gone winless in his last six starts, will be in goal for Chicago on Wednesday. Mrazek only allowed more than three goals in two of his first 18 games, but he’s allowed four goals or more in each of his last five starts. However, it’s worth noting that Mrazek is 6-4-2, with a goals-against average of 2.44 and a save percentage of .922 in 13 games against the Avalanche in his career.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="3" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="133"></div>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Best bet for Avalanche vs. Blackhawks</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Cale Makar Over 3.5 Shots On Goal (+125) at Sports Interaction</li>
</ul>



<p>Only four players have attempted as many shots as Makar has this season, and he ranks second on the team, behind MacKinnon, in shots on goal. Makar has registered four shots on goal or more in 12 of his last 23 outings. At +125 odds, Makar is a good bet to register at least four shots on goal against a Blackhawks team that ranks as the fifth-worst team in shots against per 60 minutes. Bettors should absolutely shop around for the best odds, though.</p>



<p><a href="https://app.actionnetwork.com/4zu6/chznhm6b"><em>Follow Andy’s hockey bets on the Action App!</em></a></p>


Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and defenseman Cale Makar