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Wild vs. Avalanche prediction: Why Colorado is favored to win Game 1 [2026]
Updated: | First published:
Written by Nick Slade, Chief Content Officer
Get Minnesota Wild vs Colorado Avalanche predictions for NHL Sunday.
The Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild are scheduled to meet in Game 1 of the NHL Playoffs at Ball Arena on Sunday, starting at 9:00 PM ET.
Based on the latest simulation results, Dimers' advanced NHL model predicts the Avalanche as the most likely winner of the Wild vs. Avalanche Game 1 matchup.
This article offers an expanded analysis of Sunday's matchup, including projected goal scorers, best bets and player prop picks.
Wild vs. Avs prediction: Who will win Game 1?
Using trusted machine learning and statistical analysis, we have simulated the result of Sunday's NHL Playoffs game between the Wild and Avalanche, forming part of our NHL predictions coverage.
Our leading predictive model gives the Avalanche a 62% chance of defeating the Wild in Game 1 of the series.
According to our model, the Wild (+1.5) have a 60% chance of covering the puck line, while the 5.5-goal over/under has a 55% chance of going over.
Wild vs. Avalanche Game 1 odds
We have sourced the best NHL odds in America for this game, which are listed here:
| Bet Type | Wild | Avalanche |
|---|---|---|
| Puck Line | +1.5 (-150) | -1.5 (+130) |
| Moneyline | +170 | -200 |
| Total | o5.5 (-130) | u5.5 (+110) |
All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.
Wild vs. Avalanche picks and best bet for Game 1
After matching our probabilities against the best available odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:
| Bet Type | Pick | Bet Now |
|---|---|---|
| Puck Line | Wild +1.5 | -150 |
| Moneyline | Wild | +170 |
| Total | Over 5.5 | -130 |
According to our NHL best bets, the top play to make on this game is Wild to win.
These picks are based on our probabilities matched against the implied probabilities from the sportsbook odds.
Wild vs. Avalanche player props
Who will score a goal in Wild vs. Avalanche?
According to our model, Kirill Kaprizov is most likely to score an anytime goal in Wild vs. Avalanche.
Our projections give Kaprizov a 35.5% chance of scoring a goal at Ball Arena, while the star is a 7.7% chance of netting the first goal the game.
Anytime goal scorer predictions
Minnesota Wild
| Player | Anytime Goal Probability |
|---|---|
| Kirill Kaprizov | 35.5% |
| Matt Boldy | 32.7% |
| Ryan Hartman | 21.3% |
| Danila Yurov | 18.9% |
| Vladimir Tarasenko | 18.8% |
Colorado Avalanche
| Player | Anytime Goal Probability |
|---|---|
| Nathan MacKinnon | 33.9% |
| Martin Necas | 29.4% |
| Gabriel Landeskog | 27.9% |
| Artturi Lehkonen | 25.2% |
| Valeri Nichushkin | 24.4% |
First goal scorer predictions
Minnesota Wild
| Player | First Goal Probability |
|---|---|
| Kirill Kaprizov | 7.7% |
| Matt Boldy | 6.4% |
| Ryan Hartman | 3.8% |
| Vladimir Tarasenko | 3.1% |
| Danila Yurov | 3.0% |
Colorado Avalanche
| Player | First Goal Probability |
|---|---|
| Nathan MacKinnon | 6.4% |
| Martin Necas | 5.8% |
| Gabriel Landeskog | 5.6% |
| Artturi Lehkonen | 4.8% |
| Valeri Nichushkin | 4.6% |
Wild vs. Avs Game 1 updates and essential details
Sunday's Game 1 between the Avalanche and Wild in the Stanley Cup Playoffs is scheduled to commence at 9:00 PM ET.
- Who: Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche
- Date: Sunday, May 3, 2026
- Time: 9:00 PM ET/6:00PM PT
- Venue: Ball Arena
The Stanley Cup Playoffs is an elimination tournament in the NHL to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup.
A total of 16 teams, including the Wild and Avalanche, made the NHL Playoffs 2026, which consists of four rounds: the First Round, Second Round, Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Finals.
Each round is contested as a best-of-seven series, with the first team to four wins moving on to the next round until a champion is crowned.
Conclusion
We predict the Avalanche, with a 62% win probability, will likely beat the Wild in Sunday's NHL matchup.
Additional tools and information for betting safely can be found in our Responsible Gambling hub.
Nick Slade, with nearly two decades of experience, is the Chief Content Officer at Cipher Sports Technology Group, overseeing content for Dimers. He specializes in soccer, NBA, and NHL betting, leveraging predictive analytics and machine learning to provide accurate betting insights.
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