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The Chicago Blackhawks will face the Winnipeg Jets in the Great White North on Friday. It will be a fierce battle at the Canada Life Centre, and we're sharing our NHL odds series while making a Blackhawks-Jets prediction and pick.
The Blackhawks fell 5-2 to the Utah Hockey team in their opener. Unfortunately, they put themselves in a hole, falling behind 3-0 early and could not rally.
The Jets destroyed the defending Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers 6-0 at the Rogers Place. Amazingly, they took control from the start, and would not relent, embarrassing the Oilers in front of their fans.
Here are the Blackhawks-Jets NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Blackhawks-Jets Odds
Chicago Blackhawks: +1.5 (-142)
Moneyline: +188
Winnipeg Jets: -1.5 (+118)
Moneyline: -230
Over: 5.5 (-120)
Under: 5.5 (-102)
How To Watch Blackhawks vs Jets
Time: 8 PM ET/5 PM PT
TV: ESPN+ and Chicago SportsNet
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Blackhawks Could Cover the Spread/Win
Connor Bedard set an NHL record, becoming the third teenager (yes he is still a teenager)in Blackhawks' history to tally multiple points in a season-opening game. Amazingly, he finished with two assists, five shots, one hit, and one block. The number-one draft pick from 2023 will look to do more in his sophomore season. Ultimately, many believe this generational talent will continue on his upward trajectory.
Taylor Hall had a brilliant breakaway chance in the third period. Unfortunately, he could not capitalize in a one-on-one against goalie Connor Ingram. Hall finished with a plus-minus of -2. Also, he registered two shots. Tyler Bertuzzi finished with a plus-minus of -2. Likewise, he registered two shots.
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Nick Foligno also scored a goal. Overall, he finished with two shots and six hits and is going to be a major part of this offense. Defenseman Seth Jones tallied an assist and finished with two shots. Substantially, he did a solid job on both sides. Teuvo Teravainen got the first goal for the Hawks and for his new team. Now, he looks to pot more.
The defense must do more to protect the front of the net to avoid another hole. Additionally, goalie Petr Mrazek must do more to produce, after stopping 24 shots but allowing four goals.
The Blackhawks will cover the spread if they can maintain possession often and do better on the powerplay. Moreover, the defense must step up.
Why the Jets Could Cover the Spread/Win
Everything went right for the Jets. Substantially, the third line came into play. Mason Appleton exploded with a goal and two assists. Likewise, Nino Niederreiter tallied two apples. Adam Lowry had one goal and two assists. Overall, this line finished with two goals and six assists.
Mark Scheifele led the first line with one goal and two assists. Likewise, Kyle Connor had an assist. Defenseman Josh Morrissey netted two assists for the Jets. Meanwhile, defenseman Neal Pionk added an assist. The offense also went 2 for 3 on the powerplay.
Goalkeeper Connor Hellebuyck showed why he is probably one of the best goalies in the NHL by stopping all 30 shots he faced against one of the best offenses in the NHL. Now, he must maintain that focus against one of the worst teams in the NHL. While Hellebuyck did his job, the defense must tighten up after allowing 30 shots. Also, the Jets must do a better job in the faceoff circle after winning only 41 percent of the draws. Luckily, the defense blocked 29 shots, or it could have been a lot worse.
The Jets will cover the spread if they can continue to capitalize on the extra-man attack. Then, the defense must tighten up and not allow so many shots.
Final Blackhawks-Jets Prediction & Pick
The Jets went 3-0-1 against the Blackhawks last season. Moreover, they beat the Hawks by one goal twice last season. The Jets are 8-1-1 over the past 10 games against the Blackhawks. Also, they are 4-1 over the past five games against the Blackhawks. Oddsmakers give the Jets a 70% chance of winning this game. Yet, the Hawks are also 3-1 against the spread over the past four games against the Blackhawks. The Blackhawks and Jets combined for under 5.5 goals in three of the four games last season.
After struggling to start the game against the Utah Hockey Club, the Hawks showed they could play competent hockey, at least for a few periods. Unfortunately, they struggled with the powerplay, which hindered their chances. The Jets look amazing after destroying the Oilers. However, teams usually fall back to Earth after wins like that. While the Jets are significantly better than the Blackhawks, they tend to play down to them. The Hawks covered the spread three times against the Jets last season. Consequently, they will find a way to make this a game before falling.
Final Blackhawks-Jets Prediction & Pick: Chicago Blackhawks: +1.5 (-142)
