Jan. 6, 2026, 1:30 p.m. ET
The Colorado Avalanche (31-3-7) face the Tampa Bay Lightning (25-13-3) Tuesday. Puck drop from Benchmark International Arena, is set for 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NHL odds around the Avalanche vs. Lightning odds and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
Season series: Avs lead 1-0 after 3-2 home win Nov. 4 as -152 ML favorites
The Avs suffered their third regulation loss of the season Sunday in a 2-1 defeat at the Florida Panthers. LW Arturi Lehkonen’s 15th goal was the only tally. C Nathan MacKinnon was kept off the scoresheet for just the second time in 12 games. He leads the NHL in goals (35) and points (74).
The Lightning have won 7 straight after a 7-3 win over the San Jose Sharks Saturday. They’ve scored 4+ goals in each of those 7 games. RW Nikita Kucherov scored his 20th goal. D Darren Raddysh had a hat trick to give him 12 goals on the season. Kucherov is fourth in the league with 59 points.
Watch the NHL on Fubo!Avalanche at Lightning odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 1 p.m. ET.
Moneyline (ML): Avalanche -115 (bet $115 to win $100) | Lightning -105 (bet $105 to win $100)Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Avalanche -1.5 (+200) | Lightning +1.5 (-250)Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: +100 | U: -120)Avalanche at Lightning projected goalies
Scott Wedgewood (18-2-4, 2.17 GAA, .918 SV%, 2 SO) vs. Andrei Vasilevskiy (16-7-2, 2.36 GAA, .912 SV%, 1 SO)
Wedge was between the pipes in the back-to-back games Saturday and Sunday because G Mackenzie Blackwood (lower body) is on IR. He stopped 25 of 28 Saturday in a 5-3 win against Carolina and 23 of 25 against Florida Sunday. Wedgewood stopped 22 of 24 in the 3-2 win over Tampa earlier this season.
Vassy has won 5 straight starts after stopping 19 of 22 against San Jose Saturday. He has allowed more than 3 goals once in 14 starts. He stopped 30 of 33 in the loss to Colorado earlier this season.
Avalanche at Lightning picks and predictionsPrediction
Avalanche 3, Lightning 2
The Avs have dominated the entire league this season, and it’s tough for me to bet against them. Tampa, strangely, isn’t a very good home team at 11-9-0. The Avs are 14-3-5 on the road, and while their goalie situation isn’t as strong as Tampa’s, they just have too loaded of a chamber.
Take AVALANCHE (-115).
There’s no bet here. PASS.
The Avs are 5-5 O/U in their last 10, and the Lightning are 7-3. As mentioned, Tampa has been scoring 4 goals per game of late. That’s probably not happening against Colorado.
Go UNDER 6.5 (-120).
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