Colorado Avalanche vs Los Angeles Kings Game 3 Picks, Prediction and Odds
Use Code WWWC Game 3 of the Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings first-round series shifts out to California with Colorado holding a commanding 2-0 lead, and our latest NHL predictions breakdown keeps pointing back to the visitors as the cleaner side. The Avalanche have already taken both road games in this series by 2-1 scores — one in regulation and one in overtime — and the underlying numbers continue to back Colorado’s strong regular-season profile. Pair that with a tight-checking style and elite goaltending on both ends, and this matchup sets up with a clear side play and a confident Under lean. Here is the full handicap, projected score, and betting guide for Avalanche vs Kings on April 23.
Quick Picks and Prediction
- Moneyline Pick: Colorado Avalanche (-166)
- Total Pick: Under 5.5
- Projected Final Score: Avalanche 3, Kings 2
Odds and Line Movement
The market has been one-directional on the moneyline, with Colorado strengthening throughout the cycle from -155 to -166 while Los Angeles has drifted from +130 out to +140. Public ticket and money indicators have been overwhelmingly on Colorado, showing 100% concentration at multiple points in the cycle. The total has been quiet, with only a single entry showing 5.5 pricing, reflecting a series that has been trending tighter than what was originally priced.
Opening Odds
| Market | Colorado | Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | -155 | +130 |
| Total | Over 5.5 (-115) / Under 5.5 (-105) | |
Current Odds
| Market | Colorado | Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | -166 | +140 |
| Total | Over 5.5 (-115) / Under 5.5 (-105) | |
Line Movement - Puck Line
| Date | Time | Colorado | Los Angeles | Public ($, #) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04/22 | 05:41:59 PM | -166 | +140 | COL 100%, COL 100% |
| 04/22 | 03:54:59 PM | -162 | +136 | COL 100%, COL 100% |
| 04/22 | 02:39:28 PM | -155 | +130 | COL 100%, COL 100% |
| 04/22 | 12:06:09 PM | -162 | +136 | COL 100%, COL 100% |
| 04/22 | 01:58:37 AM | -155 | +130 |
Line Movement - Total
| Date | Time | Over | Under | Public ($, #) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04/22 | 01:58:37 AM | 5½ -115 | 5½ -105 |
Avalanche vs Kings Key Matchups and Handicap
Colorado holds a 2-0 series lead after winning Game 1 by a 2-1 score and then taking Game 2 by another 2-1 margin in overtime. Through two games, the Avalanche have demonstrated the ability to win both in regulation and in extra time while dictating the overall pace. That kind of dual-style adaptability on the road is a major signal that a team is ready to close out a series, and it is the main reason Colorado continues to profile as the side even as the series shifts to California.
The regular-season profile backs the visitors as well. Colorado averaged 3.63 goals per game during the regular season compared to 2.68 for Los Angeles, allowed fewer at 2.40 goals against per game versus 2.90 for the Kings, generated far more shots at 33.7 per game compared to 28.0, and also held the edge on special teams with an 84.6 percent penalty kill against Los Angeles’s 74.6 percent. The power-play numbers are essentially identical, with Colorado at 17.1 percent and the Kings at 17.0 percent, but across the full five-on-five and short-handed picture, the Avalanche have simply been more complete.
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That complete profile explains the final records. Colorado finished 55-16-11 while Los Angeles came in at 35-27-20, which is a clear separation in overall points. It also explains why even a home-ice switch has not been enough to flip the Kings into favorite status on the moneyline.
Colorado’s stars remain the biggest handicap drivers in this series. Nathan MacKinnon posted a massive 127 points with 53 goals and 74 assists in the regular season and continues to be the most dangerous offensive player on either roster. Against a Kings defense that was 60th percentile at best all season, MacKinnon’s ability to drive shot volume and create high-danger chances has been the matchup the Kings simply cannot solve.
Los Angeles still has a legitimate difference-maker in Adrian Kempe, who recorded 73 points and 36 goals. He is the one player capable of swinging a game for the Kings on his own. The issue is that around Kempe, Los Angeles has struggled to build sustained offense, and that is exactly what was on display in Game 2. The Kings finally broke through on an Artemi Panarin power-play goal in the third period, only to see Colorado respond with a Gabriel Landeskog equalizer before Nicolas Roy ended it in overtime.
Goaltending has been outstanding on both sides, which is a huge part of the Under case. In Game 2 alone, Scott Wedgewood stopped 24 shots for a .960 save percentage, while Anton Forsberg answered with 34 saves and a .944 save percentage. Every goal in this series has been earned, and when two goaltenders are playing at that level, totals of 5.5 become a premium number rather than an easy clear.
The provided material for this matchup does not include an injury report, which means there is less confirmed injury-based adjustment to work with here than in some other playoff matchups. That puts even more weight on the form and profile already established over the first two games, and every one of those indicators leans Colorado.
With Colorado already dictating the series tempo, owning the superior offensive ceiling, and defending well enough to keep Los Angeles from opening up the ice, the combination of the team profile, the MacKinnon advantage, and the way both games have unfolded gives bettors a clear path: Colorado on the moneyline, with the Under as the stronger total angle on a number of 5.5 because both games in the series have landed on just three total goals in regulation.
Betting Trends - COL vs LA
- Colorado leads the series 2-0 with back-to-back 2-1 wins, including an overtime victory in Game 2.
- The Avalanche finished the regular season at 55-16-11, while the Kings came in at 35-27-20.
- Colorado averaged 3.63 goals per game, compared to 2.68 for Los Angeles.
- The Avalanche allowed 2.40 goals against per game, while the Kings allowed 2.90.
- Colorado generated 33.7 shots per game, versus 28.0 for Los Angeles.
- Special teams favor Colorado with an 84.6 percent penalty kill, compared to 74.6 percent for the Kings.
- Nathan MacKinnon finished the regular season with 127 points, 53 goals, and 74 assists.
- Both goalies were outstanding in Game 2, with Wedgewood at .960 save percentage and Forsberg at .944.
Key Injuries and Notes - COL vs LA
Colorado: No injury report has been provided for this matchup, so the handicap leans more heavily on form, profile, and the way the first two games unfolded. The Avalanche are playing confident, structured hockey coming off back-to-back one-goal road wins.
Los Angeles: No injury report has been provided for the Kings either. Without specific absences to factor in, the key notes for Los Angeles are its lower overall regular-season profile and the fact that it has still not figured out how to generate sustained offense against Colorado through two games.
Avalanche vs Kings Moneyline and Total Picks
- Moneyline: Colorado Avalanche (-166) — the stronger regular-season profile, MacKinnon’s dominance, and a 2-0 series lead on the road support laying the juice rather than chasing the puck line in a tight-checking series.
- Total: Under 5.5 — two straight 2-1 regulation results and elite goaltending on both ends point to another low-scoring outcome.
Final Score Prediction
Colorado Avalanche 3, Los Angeles Kings 2. MacKinnon drives the first Colorado goal, Landeskog or Roy adds another at even strength, Kempe and a supporting Kings forward answer with a pair of tight-window finishes, and the Avalanche lock down the third period to go up 3-0 in the series with another game that stays just under 5.5.
How to Bet Avalanche vs Kings
For a road-favorite spot like this one where the visitors have controlled play through two games and goaltending is elite on both sides, the cleanest structure is to take Colorado on the moneyline at -166 and add the Under 5.5 as a secondary position that keys off the one-goal trend through Games 1 and 2. If you do not have access to a legal online sportsbook in your state, social sportsbooks are a great way to still get action on Game 3 of this series using sweepstakes-style play. Bettors who want the sharpest pricing on the Avalanche moneyline and on alternate totals should compare numbers using the bet365 bonus code, which consistently offers competitive NHL moneyline and puck-line markets that fit exactly this kind of favorite play. For casual bettors who want to parlay Colorado with the Under or with a MacKinnon shots-on-goal prop, the fliff promo code is a simple way to get started with extra coins to build around the series. Line shopping matters most on the moneyline here, as the difference between -155 and -166 can meaningfully change the value on a Colorado ticket before puck drop.
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