Game three started with great promise for the Blues. St. Louis took a 1-0 lead in front of a raucous sellout Saturday night crowd. But things changed when goaltender Jordan Binnington was run over in a collision and had to leave the game. To illuminate, the air came out of the building and the Blues. Colorado went on to score a 5-2 series win to take a 2-1 NHL betting lead in the series. St. Louis faces a virtual must-win game. Should the Blues lose game four, they would face elimination at Colorado Wednesday night.
2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs Second Round Avalanche vs. Blues Game 4
| Date and Time: | Monday, May 23, 2022, 9:30 p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | Enterprise Center, St. Louis, Missouri |
| TV Coverage: | TNT |
| Team | Spread | Total | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avalanche | -1½ (+150) | 6½ (-115) | -160 |  |
| Blues | +1½ (-170) | 6½ (-105) | +140 | |
| ||||
SBG Odds Analysis – Skill vs. Will
At the onset of this series, there was no doubt that the Avalanche had the offshore betting advantage of skill and speed. But St. Louis could help equalize much of that with its grit and work ethic. The Blues play bigger than the Avs. And that showed in the St. Louis win at Colorado in game two. But in game three, the Avs got the advantage when Binnington left the game. Their skill was too much to overcome. And Blues goaltender Ville Husso was ineffective after taking over in goal for the injured Binnington.
Of course, the Blues will bring plenty of will for Monday’s game four. And they believe that Colorado forward Nazem Kadri could have done a better job of avoiding the collision that knocked Binnington out of the game. No penalty was called on the play because Kadri was also involved with a Blues defenseman. Both players ended up in Binnington’s net. Kadri claimed he was pushed into Binnington. And the play happened so fast it wasn’t easy to tell, even on replay.
Avalanche at Blues – How Gamblers See Game 4
Colorado got the money in a 5-2 win for game three as -162 road favorites. St. Louis was a +145 dog. Consider how high the price was on the Avalanche against a quality Blues team at home. As a result, squares will be encouraged to take the Avalanche. The status of Binnington is questionable. He is still being examined.
Gamblers have lost most of their faith in Ville Husso. At the onset of the playoffs, Husso won the net over a slumping Binnington. Husso faltered in the first round against the Minnesota Wild, and Binnington reclaimed the net. Subsequently, Binnington was playing his best hockey in three years. But the injury puts the Blues’ season in jeopardy. And gamblers want little to do with Husso.
Sharps are analyzing if Husso can rally himself for the rest of the series if he has to play. Of major concern was his game three performance, in which he was beaten four times on 23 shots. Husso’s playoff save percentage is .891 compared to .919 in the regular season.
Avalanche at Blues SBG Free Picks
In this situation, the Blues will be fighting for their NHL betting lives. The St. Louis crowd will be out for blood after the Binnington incident and game three loss. Most important of all, the price will be right on St. Louis.
Avalanche at Blues SBG Best Bet: St. Louis Blues.