- This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Colorado (49-15-10) at Dallas (45-19-12)
- When: Apr 4 2026, 3:00 PM
- Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- TV: ABC
Colorado vs Dallas NHL Preview & Pick
Moneyline: Colorado -115
Spread: Colorado -1.5 (+220)
Total: 6.0
Colorado Avalanche Betting Breakdown
Colorado heads into this matchup after getting punched in the mouth by Vancouver in an 8 to 6 loss, and that kind of result against the worst team in the league is not something you ignore. Jared Bednar called it out directly, and he is right. If this level shows up again, it is not lasting long in the playoffs.
Even in the loss, there were positives. Sam Malinski posted two goals and one assist, Brent Burns added a goal and one assist, and Devon Toews chipped in two assists. That blue line combined for seven points, which shows how dangerous Colorado can be offensively from all areas.
Nathan MacKinnon continues to carry elite form, becoming the first player in the NHL to reach 50 goals this season. That kind of production is a major edge in a tight matchup like this.
The bigger concern is defensive structure and goaltending. Mackenzie Blackwood allowed six goals on 19 shots before getting pulled, and the absence of Cale Makar was clearly felt. Still, this team has won five of its last seven and has been dominant on the road, winning four straight away and 10 of the last 11.
From a betting angle, Colorado brings high-end scoring and strong road form. If they clean up the defensive mistakes, they are the more complete team here.
Dallas Stars Betting Breakdown
Dallas finally snapped out of a rough stretch with a 3 to 0 win over Winnipeg, and the biggest takeaway was Jake Oettinger. He stopped all 22 shots for his third shutout of the season and looked locked in again after a long drought.
Before that win, the Stars were struggling at 2 5 2, so this could be a turning point. They also handled business offensively with Adam Erne and Arttu Hyry each recording a goal and one assist.
This matchup has been extremely tight all season. All three previous meetings went to a shootout, with Dallas winning two of them. That tells you everything you need to know about how close these teams are.
The concern for Dallas is consistency. Even with the recent win, they have dropped three straight at home before that and have not been as reliable as Colorado down the stretch. Still, Oettinger finding form gives them a real shot to control the game if he stays sharp.
NHL Betting Prediction
This is a coin-flip type game on paper, and the odds reflect that with Colorado sitting at a slight Moneyline favorite at -115 and the total at 6.0.
Dallas has proven it can hang with Colorado, but the Avalanche have the stronger recent road trends and the more explosive offense led by Nathan MacKinnon. If Colorado tightens up defensively even slightly, their scoring edge should be enough.
Oettinger can keep Dallas in it, but expecting another perfect performance against this offense is risky.
Score Prediction: Avalanche 4 Stars 3
Pick: Colorado ML (+115)
Total: Over 6.0 (-117)
- NHL Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook
