BEST LINES:  Pinnacle -½ +160 BET 365 -½ +175 SportsInteraction -½ +175 5DIMES -½ +169

Posted at 12:45 PM EST.

9:30 PM EST. The Avalanche are arguably the hottest team in hockey having won seven of their last eight games and they are no doubt legit and loaded with young talent. Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia's second favorite son, Nathan MacKinnon, leads one of the highest scoring lines in the NHL, as he and Mikko Rantanen are both on a tear. The Avs have come a long way from being one of the league's bottom feeders just a few years ago and with an uptick in market profile comes an increase in the premium you will pay to back them. In two games against the Penguins last season, the Avalanche were +188 in Pittsburgh and then +140 at home in Denver. Those games were played a week apart last December and Colorado won both, but tonight they will be the betting favorite against the Penguins for the first time in over four years. As the Jets found out last night, that is a much different role to be in. Like the Penguins, the Avs played yesterday and picked up a 3-2 win in Nashville, but unlike the Pens, they were not better than their opposition. Colorado was outshot and was chasing the puck all night. It's understandable that some fatigue may be setting in, as the Avs have been all over the map with games in Phoenix, Los Angeles, Edmonton and Winnipeg over their last 10. They also had a one-off at home against the Stars between their trips to the desert and Music City. At some point, Colorado is going to have to catch its breath, but Pittsburgh is not the team you want to see after some tough traveling.

We were on the Penguins last night in Winnipeg and suggested that we'd be interested in them here in Denver if they were to be priced as a pooch and so here we are. Sidney Crosby and company need no introduction here, as they've been the class of this league for over a decade. While there might be a few gray hairs in "The Kid's" Movember mustache, Crosby proved again last night why any discussion about the league's best player still has to include #87. Crosby scored in his fourth game back from injury and now has 11 of his 25 points in his last seven games. Like last night, taking back a price with the Penguins in a good situation is almost a no-brainer and we make no exceptions here.

Therefore:

OT included - Pittsburgh +105 for 1 unit.

Regulation only - Pittsburgh -½ +175 for 1 unit. 

Open an account today at and take advantage of their -104 style pricing on sides and totals, which is 60% better than other sportsbooks.