Winnipeg Jets vs. Nashville Predators: NHL Odds, Prediction
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David Bastl
After splitting a home and home weekend double header against the St. Louis Blues, the Winnipeg Jets now head on the road for the start of a three game road trip starting in Nashville against the conference leading Predators. The Preds are tops in the division, and winners of three straight games.
Jets vs. Predators Betting Analysis
This will be the second meeting of the season for these Central division rivals. Back on Nov. 20 in Nashville, the Predators got the better of the Jets in a 5-3 win. Tyler Myers and Mathieu Perreault registered two points each, while the Preds got goals from five different players. Last season, these two teams split the four game series, with the Preds outscoring the Jets 11-10. The home team in this series is 5-0 in the last five meetings and the Jets are 1-4 in their last five trips to Music City. Keep an eye on who wins the face-offs in the match-up, as both the Preds and the Jets lead the NHL in face-off percentage at 52.8 percent.
Winnipeg Jets
The Jets are coming off a 4-0 home shutout over the St. Louis Blues Sunday. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck played well, and recorded his second shutout of the season. He’s expected to make his 26th start of the season, trying to stop the Western conferencing leading Predators. While the Jets have been very good on home ice this season (12-3-1), they have struggled on the road as of late, going 0-6 in their last six games and are 7-7-4 overall away from Winnipeg. The Jets are currently tied with the Vegas Golden Knights for most goals scored in the Western Conference. Patrik Laine leads all goal scorers for the Jets with 16, while Blake Wheeler leads all Jets with 39 points (eight goals, 31 assists).
Nashville Predators
The Predators are red hot, sweeping Western Canada (Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary) and only allowing one goal against in the three games. They are 7-1-2 in their last ten games, and are currently 21-7-4, first place in the Central division, and first place in the Western Conference. Last year’s Stanley Cup finalist are on pace to be there in the end, but this time wanting to drop the finalist part of the title.
Filip Forsberg leads the team in scoring with 32 points (15 goals, 17 assists) in 32 games. Last season against the Jets he registered three points in three games. After shutting out the Flames to record his third shutout of the season, signs point to Pekka Rinne getting the start against the Jets. Rinne is 18-4-3 this season with a goals against of 2.25, and a save percentage of .930. All-time against Winnipeg, Rinne is an impressive 13-3-1 in 18 appearances.
