Vegas Golden Knights vs Colorado Avalanche Betting Pick & Prediction for 5/22

bangthebook nhl game preview

The Vegas Golden Knights take on the Colorado Avalanche in Game 2 of their NHL playoff series. The Golden Knights lead the series 1-0 after winning the first game. The game will be played at Ball Arena, with the Avalanche as the home team.

This game is set for Friday, May 22, 2026, at 8:00 PM and will be broadcast on ESPN. The Golden Knights, coached by John Tortorella, come into this game with a postseason record of 9-4. The Avalanche, led by Jared Bednar, have a postseason record of 8-2. Both teams will be looking to gain an advantage in this important playoff round.

Golden Knights vs Avalanche Game Day Info

  • Sport: NHL
  • Teams: Vegas Golden Knights vs. Colorado Avalanche
  • Venue: Ball Arena
  • Date: Friday, May 22, 2026
  • Betting Odds: Colorado Avalanche MoneyLine -199, Vegas Golden Knights MoneyLine +168

Vegas Golden Knights Team Preview

The Vegas Golden Knights are having a strong postseason. They won their last game against the Colorado Avalanche 4-2. The team had 28 shots on goal and scored one power play goal.

In the Western Semifinals, the Golden Knights defeated the Anaheim Ducks in Game 6 by a score of 5-1. Their top skaters were Shea Theodore and Pavel Dorofeyev. The team had 21 shots on goal and 24 hits in that game.

Carter Hart has been solid in goal for the Golden Knights. He has played 13 games with 358 saves. Hart has given up 32 goals but has helped the team secure nine wins.

Colorado Avalanche Team Preview

The Colorado Avalanche are coming off a recent loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. They put up 38 shots on goal but managed only 2 goals. Valeri Nichushkin and Gabriel Landeskog were the goal scorers for the team.

In their win against the Minnesota Wild, the Avalanche scored 4 goals. Nathan MacKinnon played a key role with 1 goal and 9 shots on goal. The team showed strength with 32 hits and 11 blocks.

Throughout the postseason, Nathan MacKinnon has been a standout player. He leads the team with 14 points, including 7 goals and 7 assists. The team ranks 5th in goals and shots on goal, highlighting their offensive strength.

BTB Betting Pick

The Colorado Avalanche are favored to win against the Vegas Golden Knights with a moneyline of -199. The Golden Knights are underdogs with a moneyline of +168. Considering the Avalanche’s slightly better defensive stats, with fewer goals against, the pick to win is the Colorado Avalanche. The projected score is Colorado 4, Vegas 3.

The total for the game is set at 6.5, with the over at -102 and the under at -121. Both teams have shown strong offensive capabilities, with the Golden Knights scoring 48 goals and the Avalanche scoring 39 in the postseason. Given these stats, the recommendation is to take the over. The projected total score is 7.