Winning Streaks on the Line as Undefeated Avalanche Visit Pittsburgh as +100 Underdogs

• Colorado Avalanche have opened the NHL season with five straight wins but visit Pittsburgh on Wednesday as +100 underdogs
• Avalanche have claimed victory in 13 of their past 13 regular-season games
• Penguins have won three straight, and return home for Wednesday’s contest perched as narrow -120 favorites

The Colorado Avalanche will be looking to remain the NHL’s only undefeated team this season, when they continue a six-game road trip in Pittsburgh on Wednesday as +100 underdogs in the NHL odds.

Avalanche vs Penguins Odds

*Odds taken 10/15/19

Avs Open Season on Five-Game Tear

Colorado kicked off its first road trip of the season with a 6-3 win in Washington on Monday and now takes an unblemished 5-0-0 record into Wednesday night’s Avalanche vs Penguins matchup at PPG Paints Arena. The Avalanche have regularly filled the net during their fastest start in six years, and sit among the league leaders in the early going with 4.40 goals per game.

The club’s best players have performed like it over the first two weeks of the campaign, with Nathan McKinnon and Mikko Rantanen combining to tally 17 total points over the Avalanche’s first five outings.

Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar now have FIVE-game season-opening point streaks.#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/494ZpGds4A

— x – Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) October 15, 2019

And Colorado’s early-season surge has not been overlooked at the sportsbooks, with the Avalanche cementing their position as favorites to win the Central Division, with improved +215 odds, while climbing to third in the Stanley Cup odds, trailing only co-favorites Tampa Bay and Toronto as a +900 wager.

Avalanche Producing Mixed Results vs Pens

The Avalanche’s early-season surge marks a continuation of the success that club enjoyed down the stretch last season. With Monday’s victory over the Capitals as +120 underdogs, the Avalanche have now posted wins in 13 of their past 16 regular-season contests, including a steady 3-1-2 record in six road games.

Another game ✔️
Another win! ✔️

Check out highlights from tonight's @Avalanche game against the @Capitals!#GoAvsGo https://t.co/nnHd6zT3Dw

— AltitudeTV (@AltitudeTV) October 15, 2019

Colorado has also enjoyed regular success in meetings with the Penguins in recent seasons, picking up the win in four of six clashes since the beginning of the 2016/2017 NHL campaign, but dropped a 6-3 decision in their last game at PPG Paints Arena, back in December, to fall to 3-5-1 in nine visits since 2005.

Penguins Enjoying Early-Season Win Streak

The Penguins also putting an early-season win streak on the line as they prepare to take on Colorado as -120 home chalk on the Avalanche vs Penguins odds. Pittsburgh wrapped up a brief two-game road trip in dominating fashion on Sunday with a 7-2 decision in Winnipeg. With the victory, the Penguins now sport a three-game win streak,and have scored 14 total goals over their past two contests.

The Penguins take the W in Winnipeg.
Goal scores for Penguins:
Zach Aston-Reese (1), Jake Guentzel (3), Sam Lafferty (2), Dominik Simon (1), Sam Lafferty 2 (3), Jake Guentzel 2 (4), Zach Aston-Reese 2 (2). Jets goal scores:
Math Perreault (2)
Mark Scheifele (3). pic.twitter.com/82jIWBNR3a

— Brenden A. (@BrendenPens) October 14, 2019

However, goals have come in bunches for the Penguins so far this season. The club has scored seven goals in three of their first six outings, but mustered just four total goals in their other three contests, all on home ice.

Sporadic Offense Remains a Concern

Despite maintaining a share of second place in the Metropolitan Division standings, the Penguins have started to see their odds to claim their first divisional crown fade since opening night. Sporting average odds of +450 to win the Metro as recently as October 7, Pittsburgh has now dipped to +650 in the NHL futures in sportsbooks, but remains largely steady as a +220 bet in the Stanley Cup odds.

Three game home-stand for Penguins this week:
vs Colorado (10/16 @ 7 pm)
vs Dallas (10/18 @ 7 pm)
vs Vegas (10/19 @ 7 pm)#LetsGoPens https://t.co/Is10qhXZEB

— Matt Harkins (@MattyIcePGH) October 14, 2019

With the Penguins now looking toward three straight home dates, all against Western Conference opponents, the club enjoys an opportunity to pad their early-season record, and reverse what has been a shaky record on home ice since mid-March.

The Penguins have eked out a middling 4-6-2 record in their past 12 overall on home ice, and have struggled enormously at times to generate offense during that stretch, scoring just a single goal in seven of those contests, and just 2.17 goals per game.

Picks: Avalanche to win (+100), Under 6.5 (+105)