The Pittsburgh Penguins will head to the Great White North for a showdown with the Winnipeg Jets. It will be a thrilling battle at the Canada Life Centre as we share our NHL odds series and make a Penguins-Jets prediction and pick.
The Penguins lost 4-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday at the PPG Paints Arena. Initially, it was a tie game after the first period, but the Pens allowed two in the third to fall to the Cane.
The Jets destroyed the San Jose Sharks 8-3 on Friday at the Canada Life Centre. Amazingly, the Jets led 4-1 after the first period and never looked back. Nikola Ehlers and Cole Perfetti each scored two goals.
Here are the Penguins-Jets NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Penguins-Jets Odds
Pittsburgh Penguins: +1.5 (-184)
Moneyline: +134
Winnipeg Jets: -1.5 (+152)
Moneyline: -162
Over: 6.5 (+100)
Under: 6.5 (-122)
How To Watch Penguins vs Jets
Time: 3 PM ET/12 PM PT
TV: ESPN+ and SportsNet Pittsburgh
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Penguins Could Cover the Spread/Win
- Tristan Jarry is 5-1 with a 1.16 goals-against average and a save percentage of .960.
- Sidney Crosby has generated 18 goals and 42 assists with a plus-minus of +15 over 44 games against the Jets in his career.
- Crosby has tallied two goals and six assists with a plus-minus of +6 over the past 10 games against the Jets.
The Penguins have lacked motivation over the past two games. Therefore, they come into this game with a slight lull, even though they are relatively stable.
Even at his age, Evgeni Malkin continues to produce with two goals and nine assists. Likewise, Crosby has netted one goal and five assists. Lars Eller had a helper on Friday and now has two goals and two assists through six games. Meanwhile, defenseman Erik Karlsson has netted one goal and three assists.
Article Continues BelowThe Penguins have scored a lot of goals, ranking second in total goals and 11th in shooting percentage. However, they are merely average on the powerplay, ranking 15th on the extra-man attack.
Jarry has struggled, going 1-1 with a 5.47 goals-against average and a save percentage of .836 through three games. Conversely, backup goalie Joel Blomqvist has done better, going 2-1 with a 2.86 goals-against average and a save percentage of .913 through four appearances. The defense is the second-worst in the league in goals allowed. Furthermore, the penalty kill is 19th in the NHL.
The Penguins will cover the spread if Crosby, Malkin, and the other snipers get some good and cohesive shots. Then, they need a good goaltending performance and to to avoid taking unnecessary penalties.
Why the Jets Could Cover the Spread/Win
- Mark Sheifele has notched eight goals and 11 assists over 19 games against the Penguins.
- Connor Hellebuyck is 4-6-3 with a 2.38 goals-against average and a save percentage of .928 over 13 games against the Penguins.
- The Jets have averaged 4.5 goals over their first four games this season.
Scheifele has been great. So far, he has notched four goals and three assists. Josh Morrissey has added one goal and four assists. Likewise, Ehlers has two goals and three assists. Neal Pionk has tallied one goal and five assists. Also, Kyle Connor has delivered three goals and one assist, while Vladimir Namestnikov has tallied one goal and three assists.
The Jets are already 10th in goals and have the potential to do even more. They also rank seventh in shooting percentage, as their shots have been on key. Moreover, this powerplay has been exceptional, as they are currently the best in the NHL.
Hellebuyck has been exceptional through four games. Significantly, he is 4-0 with a 1.25 goals-against average and a save percentage of .962. While Hellebuyck has been elite, the defense has also played well, being the best in the league and not allowing opponents to get good shots. Also, the Jets are eighth on the penalty kill.
The Jets will cover the spread if Schefele and the offense can continue finding ways to generate scoring chances while dominating their powerplay chances. Likewise, the defense must continue to play well.
Final Penguins-Jets Prediction & Pick
The Penguins are 2-4 against the spread this season, while the Jets are 2-2 against the spread. Moreover, the Penguins are 3-1 against the spread on the road, while the Jets are 1-2 against the odds at home.
The Penguins and Jets split the season series last year. However, the Penguins covered the spread in both games. The Penguins are 7-3 over the past 10 games against the Jets. Additionally, they are 4-1 over the past five games in Winnipeg. For whatever reason, the Penguins do well in this battle. I expect that to continue as the Penguins cover the spread on the road.
Final Penguins-Jets Prediction & Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins: +1.5 (-184)