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Free NHL Pick: Maple Leafs vs. Avalanche Hockey Betting Lines & Preview

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NHL betting action sees the Toronto Maple Leafs taking on the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday November 6th at the Pepsi Center in Denver. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.

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Leafs vs. Avalanche Pick
Date/Time: Thursday, Nov. 6th 2014, 9 pm EST
Venue: Pepsi Center, Denver CO
Broadcast: RSN
Toronto, Colorado (no odds yet listed)
***2014 BONUSES***
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The axe constantly swaying over Toronto head coach Randy Carlyle’s head is sometimes grazing his neck hair, and sometimes merely a shadow looming.

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There is perhaps a little more breathing room over the last week, on the heels of a three-game win streak over Buffalo, Columbus, and Chicago. Some of that goodwill eroded with a 3-2 loss to Arizona in the desert on Tuesday night.

Toronto’s .500 record sees them a measly sixth in the Atlantic division and once again showcasing how this team is in limbo: The Leafs aren’t good and they aren’t bad. It’s a miserable place to be in today’s pro sports leagues.

The Leafs travel to high altitude to take on a youthful, energetic, high-flying Avs squad. It hasn’t yet translated in the win column this season for Colorado – its 11 points are actually two behind the Eastern Conference visitors – but, after a playoff run last year, the potential is tantalizing.

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It can be denied that the Avalanche have yet to figure it out in 2014. Apart from their penalty kill, Colorado has been crummy in all aspects of the game. Veteran (and now, though you’d never think this a few seasons ago) journeyman Jarome Iginla is the team’s leading scorer.

Young scorer Nathan MacKinnon looked like he’d be All-Everything in his rookie campaign, but he’s enduring somewhat of a sophomore slump with nine points in 14 games.

Fellow whippersnapper – and team captain – Gabriel Landeskog has also been squeezing the stick a little tight. This team thrives when they are fast and loose under head coach Patrick Roy’s system, and when embattled goalie Semyon Varlamov is supplying good work between the pipes.

With weapons like the three above mentioned players, center Matt Duchene and playmaker Ryan O’Reilly, it should only be a matter of time until the Avs find their footing.

The Leafs have scorers too (Phil Kessel, James van Reimsdyk and a re-invigorated Daniel Winnik come to mind) but with the condition of their defense and spotty goaltending, they inspire less long-term confidence.

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It’s legitimately hard to say whether the Buds are better with James Reimer or Jonathan Bernier in the crease; pair that with bouts of uninspired play from Kessel and young (supposed) bell-cows Nazem Kadri and Jake Gardiner and you have no idea what Toronto will bring from one game to the next.

Colorado has been in a tailspin lately and Toronto tends to play better on the road than it does in Ontario. That reality makes it plausible the Leafs come in and snag a win at the Pepsi Center.

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With the dangerous Avalanche team, some squad is going to come in their barn one night and wake the bear. Until that happens, however, the Leafs might just come into town and do enough things right to grab a road win.

And in doing so, raise that blade above Carlyle’s neck another inch or so.

Toronto 4, Colorado 3 (OT)

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By James Hayes

James has been naming every player on the EA Sports video game rosters for half a decade now, he’s finally putting his knowledge to better use writing for us here at CappersPicks.com. Your comments are welcome below…Give Us Your Take!