The Avs got outplayed for two periods in Game 2, but still managed to make things interesting, pulling to within one goal of the Stars in the third period. I expect Colorado to come out firing from the start with the sole intention of trying to avoid falling behind early for the third consecutive game. The Avs were the best home ice team in the NHL this season, and I expect that trend to continue in Game 3. I toyed with taking the Avs at -1.5 on the puck line at +180, but I settled in on the Moneyline as the play at a fairly reasonable price. Bonus: SGP will be posted on Twitter closer to game time.

This will be the first game of this series at Ball Arena, and I fully expect the Avs to push the tempo and try to use the altitude to their advantage on Saturday night. You can count on Alexandar Georgiev allowing at least a couple goals each night, but you can also count on the Colorado attack to make things difficult for Dallas on the other end. I expect a very similar output to what we saw in Game 1 and Game 2 with this contest finishing at 7+ total goals scored.

Such a massive home-ice advantage in Denver and we would see history if Valeri Nichushkin scores again for the Avs. His playoff-opening goal streak stands at seven games, sharing the longest such run in NHL history with Pat LaFontaine. I used to love PLF for some reason back in the day (great last name for sure. LaFontaine! Pat LaFontaine! Shaken not stirred. Does sound like a French James Bond). Wasn't an Islanders fan really but liked their jerseys. No Blackhawks or North Stars (not current Stars at all) or Maple Leafs or Whalers (those were epic), but they were pretty good. Then for a while they changed to that stupid Gorton's fisherman one.

If you can't beat 'em, why not join 'em? We're talking about the spate of high-scoring games in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, which continued last night with a pair of "over" results (9-1 in this round) in Panthers-Bruins and Oilers-Canucks. None of this is news to the Avs, whose games have more resembled sprint relays this postseason, with seven "overs" in a row back to the first round against Winnipeg. Jared Bednar would like a faster start tonight after Colorado fell far behind in each of the first two games vs. Dallas before rallying. But there is so much firepower on the ice, and the Avs clicking, that we're compelled to keep riding this pronounced second-round "over" trend. Play Stars-Avs "Over"

If it ain't broke. We've been on the over for both games this series, and we've thus cashed two overs. The series heads to Colorado, but I'm more than okay to keep backing goals here. Loving the scoring chances both teams are getting, and as long as these penalties keep piling up, so too should the scoring. At some point this series will tighten up, but I don't see that being in Game 3. Last time these two met in Colorado, they combined for 11 goals.