Winnipeg Jets vs. Vegas Golden Knights Prediction, NHL Odds
The Winnipeg Jets begin the final week of the NHL regular season in Vegas, taking on the Golden Knights. Vegas has clinched a playoff spot and is vying for the top seed in the Pacific Division. Winnipeg hasn’t officially been eliminated from playoff contention, but its postseason hopes are hanging by a thread. The Jets need to win this contest and get some help in order to have any chance of making the postseason.
This will be the third and final meeting between these teams this season. They’ve split the previous two meetings, with Vegas winning 4-3 in overtime on January 6 while Winnipeg won 4-1 a few weeks ago on March 24. The series rubber match is slated for 10 p.m. ET from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Jets vs. Golden Knights NHL Betting Odds
The Jets enter Monday’s matchup with an overall record of 35-32-12 on the season. On the other side, the Golden Knights are 37-26-17. Given the fact that Vegas has the better record and is holding a playoff spot while Winnipeg isn’t, it’s not surprising to see the Golden Knights favoured on home ice. Vegas enters with NHL odds of -185 on the moneyline, while Winnipeg is +154 to pull off the upset.
Neither team has been impressive when it comes to the puckline this season. The visiting Jets are 38-41 against the spread on the year, while Vegas is 32-48. In this particular matchup, Winnipeg +1.5 carries odds of -162 while Vegas -1.5 is listed at +136. The total is set at 5.5, with juiced odds of -130 to the over and plus-money odds of +110 to the under. Both teams are right around the .500 mark when it comes to totals this season. The over is 40-37-2 for the Jets and 38-38-4 for the Golden Knights.
With odds of +165, Vegas’ Jack Eichel has the shortest odds among all players to score a goal in this game. Eichel has 26 goals in 72 games this season, and scored a goal in his last outing on Saturday against the Avalanche. Kyle Connor is +170 to score for Winnipeg, as he leads the Jets and is tied for 14th in the NHL with 38 goals on the season.
Winnipeg Jets
After posting 116 points last season, Scott Arniel’s second season behind the bench in Winnipeg hasn’t gone as planned. The Jets are five points behind the Kings for the second wild-card spot in the West. Winnipeg needs to win each of its last three games and get plenty of help elsewhere in order to qualify for the postseason. Needless to say, it will be an extremely tough uphill battle.
One of the main reasons for Winnipeg’s struggles this season has been a lack of consistent goal-scoring. Last season, the Jets ranked fourth in the NHL, scoring 3.35 goals per game while leading the NHL with a power play clicking at 28.9 per cent. Both of those numbers have dipped significantly this season. Winnipeg enters the last week of the regular season ranking 24th with 2.28 goals per game, while also ranking 24th with a power play rate of 18.1 per cent.
Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights made a startling move last month by making the decision to fire head coach Bruce Cassidy. Vegas held a playoff spot at the time, and given Cassidy’s record of success in Vegas, which includes a Stanley Cup, the hockey world was shocked by the news. John Tortorella was named head coach on March 29, and he has led the Golden Knights to a strong 5-0-1 record in his first six games.
The Golden Knights have clinched a playoff spot, but their seed is still up in the air. They control their own destiny in claiming the top spot in the Pacific Division, and those efforts could get a big boost with a win over the struggling Jets on Monday night.
NHL Prediction: Who Will Win Jets vs. Golden Knights?
The Golden Knights return home following a four-game road trip and will be playing at T-Mobile Arena for the first time since April 2. Vegas has been solid on home ice all season long, while Winnipeg is just 16-17-6 on the road. The Jets will play with plenty of urgency, but the Golden Knights have found a new gear under interim head coach Tortorella. I expect the Golden Knights to win this matchup 3-2.
