October 26 NHL Picks and Best Bets: Avs Aim to Stay Undefeated on Home Ice

• Colorado Avalanche are 14-1-0 in 15 home dates since mid-March
• Boston Bruins have suffered just one regulation loss this season
• Check our betting preview, complete with odds, analysis and predictions for a three-pack of NHL games on Saturday night

It’s the last Saturday in October, and a busy day in the NHL, with nine games on tap. Sportsbooks have game line odds available on all the day’s contests, and here’s a look at three of the matchups to watch closely.

Anaheim Ducks vs Colorado Avalanche Odds

*Odds taken on 10/26/2019

Avs Look to Continue Torrid Start against Struggling Ducks

The Colorado Avalanche return home from a successful six-game home trip to take on the slumping Anaheim Ducks as -149 favorites in the NHL odds. The club continued their stellar play on Friday, despite the absence of Mikko Rantanen, who is sidelined indefinitely with an ankle injury. The Avs posted a decisive 6-1 win in Vegas as +145 underdogs to close out their early-season junket with a 4-1-1 record.

https://twitter.com/DENVERnowApp/status/1187946626586947584?s=20

Currently trailing only the Tampa Bay Lightning as a +1000 wager on the Stanley Cup odds, the Avalanche now look to continue their red-hot start on home ice, where they have tallied four straight wins while scoring four goals per game. Overall, Colorado has suffered just one loss in 15 regular season and playoff home dates since mid-March, limiting opponents to two or fewer goals in 11 of those contests.

Denis Gurianov: enjoys hockey, wearing green, and scoring goals against the Anaheim Ducks 😎

Make it TWO for No. 34 in the first period! The Stars lead it 2-0! 💪#GoStars | @DallasStars pic.twitter.com/WbfXpQlkh6

— Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) October 25, 2019

The Ducks have faltered since opening the campaign with wins in six of eight outings, scoring just three total goals while losing three straight, capped by a 2-1 loss in Dallas on Thursday night.

Conversely, the Ducks have faltered since opening the campaign with wins in six of eight outings, scoring just three total goals while losing three straight, capped by a 2-1 loss in Dallas on Thursday night. Listed as +135 underdogs in Saturday’s matchup at Pepsi Center, Anaheim has enjoyed recent recent success against the Avalanche, earning wins in seven of 10 meetings, including a 5-3 victory on March 15 that marked Colorado’s last home defeat before embarking on their current stellar run.

Pick: Avalanche -1.5 (+160)

St. Louis Blues vs Boston Bruins Odds

*Odds taken on 10/26/2019

Bruins Host Blues in Stanley Cup Final Rematch

The Boston Bruins should have little difficulty finding motivation when they hit the ice at TD Garden against the St. Louis Blues as -150 favorites. The Bruins have shown little sign of a playoff hangover following their heartbreaking loss to St. Louis in the Stanley Cup Final, posting just one regulation loss in nine outings this season.

As we begin Week 4, David Pastrnak leads the league in goals…..

but here comes OVI! pic.twitter.com/rnbIHKXrxn

— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) October 23, 2019

The Bruins have dropped two of their past three, but maintain a 3-1-0 home record. However, offensive production remains a concern, with David Pastrnak continuing to carry the load, potting 10 of the team’s 26 goals, and assisting on seven others.

https://twitter.com/HockeyFeedSTL/status/1187533838257401856?s=20

The Blues arrive in Boston on the heels of a decisive 5-2 win over Los Angeles on Friday, and have now overcome a four-game slide with two straight wins. St. Louis claimed its Stanley Cup Final win over the Bruins with three road victories, but has struggled against Boston in regular-season action, posting wins in just three of seven meetings, and tallying just seven total goals over their past four matchups with the Bruins. Complicating matters for the Blues is the loss of sniper Vladimir Tarasenko, who remained home to nurse an upper body injury suffered on Friday night.

Pick: UNDER 5.5 (-105)

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Montreal Canadiens Odds

*Odds taken on 10/26/2019

Original Six Rivalry Rekindled as Maple Leafs Visit Montreal

The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to build on a strong defensive performance in their 4-1 win over San Jose when they visit the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night as +101 underdogs. The Maple Leafs have produced uneven results so far this season, and blew third-period leads in two of three outings prior to Friday’s win over the Sharks.

Strong start for the Leafs special teams.
PP1 broke down an aggressive Sharks kill for two quality looks. PK stood em up three or four times in the neutral zone. pic.twitter.com/J2WWRBlMkk

— Justin Cuthbert (@jccuthbert) October 25, 2019

Toronto has also been dismal in the second half of back-to-back matchups, losing eight of 10 since late December, and will have winless netminder Michael Hutchinson between the pipes against Montreal.

Paul Byron scored in the shootout as the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-5 on Saturday for their first win of the season. #toronto https://t.co/BsdAuqpKxt pic.twitter.com/BJ5iUn1xki

— SHAWN VENASSE (@shawnvenasse) October 6, 2019

The Canadiens are coming off consecutive losses to the Sharks and Minnesota, but averaged 35 shots on goal in those contests, and 32 shots on goal per game over their past four. Montreal also stunned the Maple Leafs by eking a 6-5 shootout win in Toronto back on October 5, after trailing by a 4-1 score in the third period of that contest.

Pick: OVER 6.5 (-103)