Winnipeg Jets vs. Vegas Golden Knights Game 1 Prediction, NHL Odds
Vegas defeated the Jets 4-1 back in the 2018 Western Conference Final, a season that saw the Golden Knights go to the Stanley Cup in their inaugural year.
Vegas has since suffered two conference final losses, but are back as a contender this go around. Winnipeg was, at one point, the top dog in the West, but a second-half slump dropped them down to the West’s final playoff spot. The Jets won five of six toward the end of the season to clinch their post-season berth while Vegas lost once in regulation since March 19.
Puck drop for Game 1 at T-Mobile Arena Tuesday evening is at 9:30 p.m. EDT and the Golden Knights are a -145 moneyline favourite with the total at six on the NHL odds.
Jets vs. Golden Knights NHL Playoffs Betting Odds
Oddsmakers have the top-seeded Golden Knights as a -200 favourite to win the series, with Vegas in five or six both the likeliest outcomes at +426 each. The over-under for the series is at 5.5 games, with over the lean at -200.
Vegas swept the Jets in three meetings this season, but prior to that it was Winnipeg going 6-1 against the Golden Knights. Two of the three victories came by a single goal; these came at opposite ends of the spectrum too with 2-1 and 6-5 Vegas wins. Adin Hill, who is currently recovering from injury, started all three wins in net for Vegas.
A massive trend to look out for in this series is the under. It’s hit in six of Winnipeg’s last seven road games and went 26-11-4 in the Jets 41 road games this year. Four of Vegas’ last five outings have finished under the total too.
Winnipeg Jets
Connor Hellebuyck started a league-high 64 games for Winnipeg this season and was one of two goalies to stop over 1,800 shots this season. The All-Star goalie is as good as they get in net, finishing with a .920 save percentage and 37-25-2 record. Hellebuyck’s presence is also a big reason why the Jets finished with the seventh-best penalty kill this year at 82.4 per cent.
If Winnipeg’s top six catches fire, the Jets can compete with anyone. But that’s a big if. Kyle Connor led the team with 80 points, followed by defenceman Josh Morrissey and his 76 points. Mark Scheifele had a career-best 42 goals, with Nikolaj Ehlers was just under a point-a-game in 45 games. Scheifele, Connor, and Pierre-Luc Dubois did a lot of the scoring and will need to keep it up if Winnipeg is pull off the upset.
Vegas Golden Knights
It’s quite rare a conference one-seed enters the post-season without knowing their starting goalie, but it’s currently what Vegas is going through. Adin Hill and Logan Thompson, the team’s initial goaltending pair, are recovering from injuries with Hill being closer to returning. Laurent Brossoit and Jonathan Quick are other options whom are both healthy. Brossoit was the guy down the stretch for Vegas and went 7-0-3 with a .927 save percentage this season.
No Golden Knights played hit either 30 goals or 70 points this season, but 12 reached double-digit goals as the offence is more done by committee. Jack Eichel is the go-to scorer up front with 27 goals and 39 assists in 67 games played. Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith, two original Golden Knights, also potted 25-plus goals this year.
WIN
VEG