Golden Knights vs. Jets Odds
| Golden Knights Odds | +125 |
| Jets Odds | -145 |
| Over/Under | 6 (-110 / -110) |
| Time | 8 p.m. ET |
| TV | TSN3 |
| Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
Coming into this game shorthanded, the Vegas Golden Knights head north of the border to take on the Winnipeg Jets.
The Knights are dealing with some adversity for the first time this season and will be missing a ton of key parts of their team. They’re also coming off a tough home loss against the powerhouse Bruins.
Even though they took a loss against Washington, the Winnipeg Jets are among the league’s hottest teams. Prior to their loss on Sunday, the Jets won four in a row and have gone 7-3 in their last 10 games.
Will Vegas come out on top short-handed? Or does Winnipeg stay hot in front of its home fans?
A Depleted Vegas Golden Knights Lineup
While Vegas has been the top team in the West, this game might be a tough one for the Knights. They’ll be missing top defensemen Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theodore and Zach Whitecloud, along with leading scorer Jack Eichel. They’ll need to rely on exceptional scorers Jonathan Marchessault, Reilly Smith, and captain Mark Stone, along with playmaker Chandler Stephenson.
The Knights have one of the better even-strength games in the league, but it’ll be hard when they’re missing a ton of key players. They currently stand in expected goals with a sixth-best 54.77 xGF% and generate 10.5 high danger chances. The power play has been pretty good too, scoring at a 22.1% rate.
Their defensive numbers are great with a healthy roster, but it’s possible their 2.41 xGA/60 might not mean much. The penalty kill worries me though, as they’re one of the most disciplined teams in the league, and only kill penalties successfully 74% of the time, which is eighth worst.
Logan Thompson has been one of the many bright spots for this Vegas team, and it seems like he’ll be the starter for this bout. The rookie netminder is playing to a very good +2.7 goals saved above expected (GSAx) and a .917 SV%. His past two starts against both the Bruins and Rangers were rough on him, so I can expect him to have a bounce-back game.
Power Play Key for Winnipeg Jets
What a start it’s been for the Winnipeg Jets. They lead the Central Division, and it’s not hard to figure out why.
Josh Morrissey is having the best statistical year of his career with 31 points in 27 games, while both Pierre-Luc Dubois and Kyle Connor are also averaging a point per game. They’ve also gotten exceptional production out of their two staples in Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler.
What is so interesting about Winnipeg is if you look at the charts, there’s nothing that wows you about the Jets. Their even-strength attack is pretty average with an expected goals percentage of a 50.17 xGF%, and they generate only 9.5 high-danger chances per game. Special teams has been their specialty, though as Winnipeg scores on the power play almost 23% of the time.
Defensively, I like what I see, but I think they could be better. The Jets are toward the middle with a 2.64 xGA/60, but the penalty kill is fantastic with a success rate of 83.6%.
Expect Connor Hellebuyck to take the net in this matchup. The former Vezina winner has started the majority of the season, and backup David Rittich played on Friday. Hellebuyck has played like a top-three netminder all season, playing to an elite +15.1 GSAx and a .930 SV%. Teams have had an incredibly difficult time getting pucks past him, and it doesn’t seem like he’s slowing down.
Golden Knights vs. Jets Pick
While Vegas always finds itself as the favorite, this time it will find itself in uncharted territory. Missing out on its top three players is a major cause for concern for Vegas fans and bettors, especially going into a lion’s den like Winnipeg.
I really like the depth the Knights have, but it may not be enough against a red-hot Hellebuyck.
I also love Winnipeg’s depth. It has one of the better top sixes in the league, and it’s getting exceptional production from players who haven’t made their mark in the league yet. The coaching from Rick Bowness has also been a treat to the Jets as he’s always been known as a locker-room fixer.
I have to think that the Knights will continue to fall on some hard times as they maneuver their way through the time missed by their players. They’ll find their way back, but every team deals with adversity at some point in the season. I think the Jets come out on top in regulation and send their fans home happy.
Pick: Winnipeg Jets 60 Min Line (+120 at DraftKings)
