Chicago Blackhawks vs. Winnipeg Jets Prediction, NHL Odds
Winnipeg started their season as well as you could hope on Wednesday, crushing the Edmonton Oilers 6-0 on the road. It’s wasn’t the same story for the Blackhawks on Tuesday as they started their season-opening four-game road trip with a 5-2 loss in Utah.
The Jets opened as -225 favourites to win on the NHL odds, with the total set at 5.5.
Blackhawks vs. Jets NHL Betting Odds
Winnipeg won three of four games in the season series last year, but it was closer than it looked. The last three games were decided by a single goal, two in overtime, and the first game was decided by just two goals. Chicago’s only win came on home ice and all four games finished below the total.
The Blackhawks ended last year on a six-game losing streak, so that gives them straight up losses in seven consecutive games. Their history with Winnipeg isn’t much better as they are 1-8 SU in their last nine games against the Jets.
Winnipeg has been strong against familiar opponents, going 10-4 SU in their last 14 games against the Western Conference and 13-6 SU in their last 19 games against the Central Division. The Jets have trended toward higher scoring games, with the Over hitting in five straight road contests and seven of their last nine overall.
Chicago Blackhawks
If you want to look at things with the glass half full approach, you could say Chicago made history on Wednesday, although that history was as the first team ever to lose to Utah. The Blackhawks outshot Utah 26-25, but the Hockey Club (just announce you’ll be called the Yeti, already) controlled much of the game. The overall impressions from the first game seem to indicate Chicago will be a basement dweller again this season.
One positive to take away from Tuesday’s loss is how good Connor Bedard looks. Last year’s Calder winner looked extremely confident, finishing with two assists, five shots and a plus-one rating in a little over 21 minutes of ice time. Bedard was so confident, he attempted (and failed) to pull off the coveted Michigan goal. If Bedard stays healthy, I’ll be shocked if he doesn’t smash his record of 22 goals and 61 points in 68 games last season.
Winnipeg Jets
It’s got to be a great feeling for Winnipeg, who had six different goal scorers in their blowout win against last year’s Stanley Cup runners-up, Edmonton. Mason Appleton (1G, 2A), Adam Lowry (1G, 1A), Mark Scheifele (2A), Josh Morrissey (2A) and Nino Niederreiter (2A) each had two-point games, while Kyle Connor scored in his NHL-record seventh straight season-opener. Connor Hellebuyck, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, made 30 stops in the win.
One of the more underrated lines in the league is Winnipeg’s third line (although they generally start games) of Adam Lowry, Nino Niederreiter and Mason Appleton. The trio played nearly all 82 games together last season and while their individual point totals of 36 (Appleton), 35 (Lowry) and 34 (Niederreiter) don’t blow you away, it’s the energy and forechecking that separate the trio as one of the best third lines in the NHL.
CHI
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