Jets vs. Flames Odds
| Jets Odds | -130 |
| Flames Odds | +110 |
| Over / Under | 6 -105o / -115u |
Here's everything you need to know about the Winnipeg Jets vs. Calgary Flames on Monday, February 19 – our expert NHL prediction and pick.
A three-game losing streak has dropped the Calgary Flames five points out of a wild-card playoff spot as they host the Winnipeg Jets on Monday afternoon.
For a minute, the Flames looked poised to successfully navigate all the trade noise surrounding their team when they reeled off three straight wins after Elias Lindholm was dealt. But that momentum has now stalled and additional names are swirling in the rumor mill.
The Jets have now shaken off a brief funk that interrupted their ascent to the upper reaches of the Western Conference standings. They've won their last three games and started this two-game road swing with an impressive win over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night.
Right now, the Jets and the Flames appear to be at opposite ends of the NHL's confidence scale. That could spell more trouble for the home side Monday.
Let's get to our Jets vs. Flames preview and pick.
Winnipeg Jets
After an 0-4-1 swoon on either side of the All-Star Break bumped the Jets out of first place in the Central Division, they now seem to be back in top form. They took over the third period Saturday to take down the Canucks in regulation for just the fifth time all year at Rogers Arena.
The Jets' success starts in net, where Connor Hellebuyck leads the league by a significant margin with 28.8 goals saved above expected. He's not carrying quite as heavy a workload as usual this year, either. Laurent Brossoit has been just fine in a backup role, with a 7-4-2 record and .920 save percentage.
Winnipeg is heading into a back-to-back, playing Monday afternoon in Calgary before returning home to host a rivalry game against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. Coach Rick Bowness may save the home game for Hellebuyck, but even if he does, Brossoit won't be a liability against the Flames.
With their league-leading 2.27 goals allowed per game, the Jets have been getting by with just three goals scored per game, and controlling an impressive 56.28% of expected goals at 5-on-5, third best in the league.
Their special teams have been below average all year, but that's where they overpowered the powerful Canucks on Saturday, breaking an eight-game drought to go 2-for-4 on the power play while executing a perfect 4-for-4 penalty kill.
Mark Scheifele had his hottest game of the year Saturday, with points on all four goals. He has been back in the lineup now for five games since dealing with a lower-body injury, so the Jets are now basically healthy. Sean Monahan also scored his first goal for Winnipeg on Saturday, and Gabriel Vilardi had a strong night, so the Jets' sticks may finally be starting to get hot.
Calgary Flames
It has been hard to get a read on the Flames this season. They've been wildly streaky, rolling out multiple wins that make them look like they've figured it out right before falling into another multi-game losing skid.
That's where they are right now: losers of three straight. Outscored 13-3 in those games, the Flames were also shut out by the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings.
Lindholm is already gone and trade rumors continue to swirl around names like Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev and even Jacob Markström.
Because Calgary is a feast-and-famine team, its season-long stats don't mean much.
Markström certainly deserves credit for his 16.5 goals saved above expected and his 2.59 goals-against average, and MacKenzie Weegar has had a breakout year on the back end with 15 goals. But two shutouts in the last three games means most Calgary players' sticks have gone ice cold.
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Jets vs. Flames
Betting Pick & Prediction
Though they've played in the same division for decades, there isn't much of a natural rivalry between the Jets and Flames. So this could be quite a tame affair. There were just seven minor penalties handed out when the two teams met for their season opener in Calgary back on Oct. 11, when Markström made 34 saves en route to a 5-3 Flames win.
Four months later, the Jets have a 16-point edge in the standings and come into Calgary as the road favorites, opening at -134 on the moneyline.
They're also fired up after their big win in Vancouver, while the Calgary players are falling back from the pack that's chasing a playoff spot in the West.
There's a juicy puckline available for a multi-goal Jets win. That offers terrific value on a confident team that's finding its stride.
Pick: Jets -1.5 (+190 at BetRivers; Play to +160)
