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Edgar Chaput
Montreal Canadiens vs. Winnipeg Jets Prediction, NHL Odds
The story of the Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets’ seasons could not be more different. Montreal lags in the basement of the Atlantic Division with 25 points whereas Winnipeg is soaring at the top of the Central Division with 43 points. The clubs will meet at centre ice on Saturday for one of only two meetings during the regular season.
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Canadiens vs. Jets NHL Betting Odds
Despite that the Canadiens and Jets have experienced vastly different fates in recent years, Montreal tends to get the upper hand in tête-à-têtes. The Habs have strung together a trio of wins, all coming throughout the 2023 calendar year. Fun fact: four of the past seven contests between these sides were decided in overtime or a shootout.
Montreal’s 11-15-3 record is by no means disastrous. Unfortunately, the nature of several of their defeats is a cause for concern, such as the 9-2 obliteration they suffered at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday at home. With a minus-29 goal differential, the Canadiens rank at the bottom of the NHL. On a positive note, Nick Suzuki is in the league’s top 50 in points (30 points via 11 goals and 19 assists). Against the puckline the club is a respectable 14-15.
Although Winnipeg still looks good in the standings, some of the lustre from October and November has worn off. The Jets are only 4-5-1 in their last 10 and have started their current home stand with a 1-1-1 tally. Winnipeg isn’t much to write home about ATS given their 16-15 record. They do have three players who have cracked the NHL’s top 50 in scoring: Kyle Conner (36 points with 20 goals and 16 assists), Mark Scheifele (34 points, 16 markers and 18 apples), and Josh Morrissey (28 points via three goals and 25 helpers).
Montreal Canadiens
The worst part of what happened on Thursday night against Pittsburgh was that it wasn’t the first time this season. The 9-2 home defeat was reminiscent of a 7-2 loss to the Rangers and an 8-2 defeat to the Kraken earlier this season.
Funnily enough, it was the hosts who started brightly. Cole Caufield produced a turnover, raced out from the left with Suzuki joining him and fed his captain the puck to complete the odd-man rush and earn a 1-0 lead. Pittsburgh would ultimately have the last laugh. Many laughs, for that matter. The only other Montreal goal scorer was Joel Armia, whose one-timer slashed a second-period 3-1 deficit to 3-2. Had Christian Dvorak or Josh Anderson scored on their opportunities in the first and second periods when the game hung in the balance, maybe the result would have differed.
God only knows what transpired during the second intermission. The final 20 minutes were a calamitous display of ineptitude. The Penguins bulldozed the Habs for six goals en route to the 9-2 drubbing.
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets had an opportunity to make a statement when the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights were in town. The effort was a mixed bag, with Connor Hellebuyck’s brilliance in net the main reason why Winnipeg got a point from the 3-2 extra-time defeat.
Frankly, the Jets were thoroughly dominated on home ice. The Golden Knights finished the game with 36 shots to only 20 for the hosts. About midway through the second period, Winnipeg had only registered seven.
Nikita Chibrikov (second) opened the scoring midway through the first period when he pounced on a rebound and capped off an exciting rush. But that was all the Jets would muster until Josh Morrissey (third) blasted a shot from the face-off circle in the third period to hand his side a 2-1 advantage. Lack of discipline sent Gabriel Vilardi and Dylan DeMelo to the penalty box with less than three minutes to go. Vegas’ power play goal sent the match to overtime, where a terrible line change allowed the visitors to score the winning goal.
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WIN