The Winnipeg Jets (34-31-12) and St. Louis Blues (33-32-12) meet in an NHL battle tonight with serious playoff implications. Puck drop is set for 8:00 p.m. EDT at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, MO. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
The Blues are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 5.5 (-110o / -110u). The Blues are a -110 favorite to win outright, while the Jets are -110 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Jets vs. Blues predictions and NHL picks.
Jets vs. Blues Odds, Pick
| Jets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -290 | 5.5 -110o / -110u | -110 |
| Blues Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +225 | 5.5 -110o / -110u | -110 |
- Jets vs. Blues Spread: Blues -1.5 (+225 ), Jets +1.5 (-290)
- Jets vs. Blues Over/Under: 5.5 (-110o / -110u)
- Jets vs. Blues Moneyline: Jets -110, Blues -110
Jets vs. Blues Preview
Winnipeg Jets
With five games left on the schedule, the Jets are clinging to their playoff hopes, sitting four points out of the second Wild Card spot with a game in hand over Nashville.
Defensively, Winnipeg has been one of the hardest teams to generate against over the last 10 games. They rank third in xGA/60 with 2.56, have allowed the sixth fewest high-danger shots on goal with 26 in that stretch, and check in with the eighth fewest total shots on goal allowed.
The concern is on the other end. Outside of Kyle Connor, reliable goal scoring has been hard to come by. Connor has been carrying the load with seven goals over the last 10 games, while Mark Scheifele, Cole Perfetti, and Gabriel Vilardi are the next closest, each sitting at three.
As a team, the Jets rank 17th in xGF/60 at 3.05 over that same stretch, which puts them squarely in the middle of the pack and places all the more importance on the back end.
In net, I’d expect Connor Hellebuyck to make his eighth consecutive start. He is 4-1 over his last five outings with a 2.21 GAA and has allowed three or fewer goals in each of his last seven starts.
St. Louis Blues
It feels like you could reread the Jets' preview and find plenty of similarities with the Blues, although the playoff picture is a bit more bleak for St. Louis.
The Blues sit six points out of the final Wild Card spot with five games remaining, but like Winnipeg, they hold a game in hand on Nashville.
It would take a miraculous series of events to reach the playoffs, but “miraculous” is exactly what St. Louis has been since the Olympic break… at least on one side of the ice.
By a wide margin, the Blues have allowed a league-best 1.82 GA/60 since returning. They also rank second in xGA/60 over their last 10 games and have given up just 2.1 high-danger shots on goal per game.
Like Winnipeg, the offense still leaves something to be desired, but Robert Thomas and Dylan Holloway have provided a boost. Each has recorded 13 points over the last 10 games, with Thomas scoring six goals and Holloway adding five.
Overall, St. Louis ranks 23rd in xGF/60 (2.84) over that stretch, but sits third in Goals % at 61.7, which paints a more encouraging picture.
In net, both Joel Hofer and Jordan Binnington have been brilliant. Hofer has posted a 9.2 GSAx, .935 SV%, and 1.96 GAA over his last 10 games.
Binnington has also found his form, recording a 1.74 GAA and .925 SV% across his last seven starts.
It’s still unclear who will start tonight. Hofer has handled the last three games, so Binnington could get the nod. Either way, the Blues should feel confident in either option at the moment.
Jets vs. Blues Prediction
Surprisingly, since the Olympic break, the Jets have posted the third-best record in the Western Conference at 12-5-4, while the Blues have been even better at 13-4-3, good for second.
Most of that success has been driven by both teams ranking in the top 10 in goals allowed. Winnipeg checks in eighth, allowing 2.66 GA/60, while St. Louis sits at a league-best 1.82 GA/60, nearly half a goal better than the next closest team.
These teams have met three times this season, and all three have gone under this number, with just 10 total goals scored across those outings.
I would be surprised if Hellebuyck isn’t in net for Winnipeg tonight, and as mentioned, both Hofer and Binnington have been outstanding lately.
With both still technically clinging to playoff hopes, I expect them to lean on what got them back in the hunt.
Ranking second and third in xGA/60 and just 17th and 23rd in xGF/60 over the last 10, everything points to this going under for the fourth time this season.
Pick: Under 5.5 (-110, FanDuel)
