BEST BET: NHL Favorites On Black Friday On 26-15 Run; What Does It Mean In Central Division Showdown?

LAS VEGAS -- The notorious Thanksgiving deadline has passed, and we all know about the theories of playoff potential based on where teams stand on Turkey Day, right?

Well, in case you're in the dark, more than 76% of NHL playoff spots were in place by America's Thanksgiving spanning the past decade.

So does that make teams hungrier with immediacy on Black Friday, meaning is there more value with underdogs? It's possible.

But don't get too excited, as Black Friday underdogs are 15-26 over the last three seasons.

Two teams that won't see many plus prices are Central Division rivals Dallas and Colorado, and the two meet tonight in Big D, a battle between third-place teams with both sitting on 26 points.

Let's do a deep dive into this one:

WHY AVALANCHE: Colorado opened the season a disappointing 6-8-0, but have since found its footing with a 7-2-0 run. The Avs scored a very big 2-1 shootout victory against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday, and should head into Dallas with plenty of confidence.

WHY STARS: Flipside, the Stars opened the season 7-2-0, but are just 6-6-0 since then and come into this one having lost two in a row. The due theory creeps into mind, as you'd expect the Stars to feel the pressure of having to bounce back after a rough three-game trip through Tampa, Carolina and Chicago.

All betting lines are from Bet365 and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

THE PICK: AVALANCHE +115 -- Colorado is playing better hockey at the moment, and my feeling is Dallas is poised for a third-straight loss with only one day in between its road trip and an equally rugged two-game homestand against Central Division powers Colorado and Winnipeg. The Avs could be a bit more focused in this one, being away from Denver, whereas the Stars might need this one to serve as one final wake-up call after spending Thanksgiving with family and then having to check into the office for work against the surging Avs. And lest we forget, the Stars eliminated Colorado from the playoffs on its ice in May. Revenge will be brewing here. The number is too high for this rivalry and the sharp play is on Colorado.

(Season Record: 5-8-0, Net: -345$, based on 100$ units)