The Winnipeg Jets (35-32-12) and Vegas Golden Knights (37-26-17) meet in the NHL tonight. Puck drop is set for 10:00 p.m. EDT at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
The Golden Knights are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 5.5 (-130o / +108u). The Golden Knights are a -184 favorite to win outright, while the Jets are +153 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Jets vs. Golden Knights predictions and NHL picks.
Jets vs. Golden Knights Odds, Pick
| Jets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -171 | 5.5 -130o / +108u | +153 |
| Golden Knights Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +143 | 5.5 -130o / +108u | -184 |
- Jets vs. Golden Knights Spread: Golden Knights -1.5 (+143 ), Jets +1.5 (-171)
- Jets vs. Golden Knights Over/Under: 5.5 (-130o / +108u)
- Jets vs. Golden Knights Moneyline: Jets +153, Golden Knights -184
Jets vs. Golden Knights Preview
Winnipeg Jets
On the surface, the Jets look like a team in trouble. They had their playoff destiny in their hands this past Saturday, but suffered a devastating 6-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.
While their postseason hopes are now a "glimmer" at best, this is precisely where the "Contrarian Road Dogs" system finds value. Teams with their backs against the wall often play with a nothing-to-lose aggression that home favorites aren't prepared for.
Furthermore, Winnipeg still has massive individual milestones to play for:
Mark Scheifele is currently inching closer to his first-ever 100-point season, providing him with plenty of motivation to stay aggressive. Not just him, Kyle Connor sits just two goals away from his second consecutive 40-goal season.
With these two elite snipers hunting personal records, the Jets have more than enough offensive variance to break open a game where they are being ignored by the betting public.
Vegas Golden Knights
The "Tortorella Effect" is real.
Since firing Bruce Cassidy and hiring John Tortorella, the Golden Knights have gone on a blistering 5-0-1 tear. They’ve already punched their ticket to the playoffs for the eighth time in their nine-year history.
However, the "Contrarian Road Dogs" system looks past the win-loss record and into the underlying weaknesses.
Goaltending has been a persistent "pain point" for Vegas all season. While Carter Hart has become Torts’ go-to guy, posting a solid .920 SV% during this recent stretch, he is a high-variance goalie. When he returned to the league after a year-long absence, there were certainly growing pains for Hart.
Luckily for him, he played under Tortorella in Philadelphia for the Flyers, so there is a familiarity factor here.
Jets vs. Golden Knights Prediction
The public sees a 5-0-1 Vegas team and a "done" Winnipeg team. The system sees a lopsided line where the underdog possesses two of the league's most motivated scorers.
Vegas does have something to play for, as the Knights are one point ahead of the Oilers in the Pacific Division, and Edmonton is 6-3-1 in its last 10.
You just have to wonder if the Knights will come in with the same kind of urgency that Winnipeg may come in with, with its season on the line.
By backing the Jets (+152), you are betting on the market’s overreaction to the "Torts" honeymoon phase and Winnipeg's Saturday night collapse.
In a midrange moneyline spot like this, the "Contrarian Road Dogs" system suggests the value is firmly with the visitors.
Pick: Winnipeg Jets Moneyline (+152, FanDuel)
