Who's ready for some Friday night hockey? Don't look now, but the Anaheim Ducks will make a trip up north to face off with the Winnipeg Jets. Let's check out our NHL odds series where our Ducks-Jets prediction and pick will be unveiled for all to see.
With time running out on the Ducks' season, playing for some pride so they can head into next year with the utmost confidence will be a main priority for Anaheim. At 23-39-3, the Ducks have lost three straight games and are a lousy 13-16-2 away from home. Overall, Anaheim is 0-2 against Winnipeg this season after being outscored 7-3 in the previous pair of games combined.
Meanwhile, the Jets find themselves right in the thick of an intense Central Division race. With an overall mark of 41-19-5, there is no question that Winnipeg has Stanley Cup aspirations with postseason play showing itself on the horizon. Currently, the Jets trail the division-leading Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche by only two games in the standings. Altogether, Winnipeg is only 4-3 in their last seven games and will look to be more consistent in terms of finding ways to win moving forward.
Here are the NHL Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Ducks-Jets Odds
Anaheim Ducks: +1.5 (+126)
Moneyline: +320
Winnipeg Jets: -1.5 (-152)
Moneyline: -420
Over: 5.5 (-120)
Under: 5.5 (-102)
How to Watch Ducks vs. Jets
Time: 8:00 ET/5:00 PT
TV: ESPN+
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Ducks Will Cover The Spread/Win
Without a doubt, the Ducks struggle out on the ice in a numerous amount of statistical metrics, but none more with their inability to find the back of the net. Entering this contest, Anaheim only averages 2.58 goals per game and are even more dreadful when given the opportunity to go on the power-play attack. On paper, the Ducks score less than 20% of the time when possessing the extra-man advantage and were 0-2 after being on the wrong side of a 7-2 blowout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. Clearly, Anaheim will need to make the best of their chances if they want to steal a road win against a conference-contending squad like Winnipeg.
Not to mention, but the Ducks are tough to watch on the defensive end of the ice as well. As a matter of fact, the outcome of this game could end up falling on the shoulders of goalie John Gibson who has left much to be desired when starting in between the pipes this season. With a record of 13-22-2 and a sloppy .893 save percentage, Anaheim needs their netminder to reverse to perform much better than what he has shown.
Fortunately, right-winger Frank Vatrano continues to be a scoring threat at any given time. With the 21st-most goals scored in the league up to this point, Vatrano is arguably Anaheim's top playmaker on offense and will need to be at his best to silence the Jets' crowd.
Why The Jets Will Cover The Spread/Win
It is officially crunch time for this Winnipeg Jets squad! Yes, finding their way into the postseason field is all but guaranteed, but if they want to be taken seriously as a legitimate championship threat, then taking care of business against teams they should handle will prove to be an absolute must.
Unlike the Ducks, it has been the Jets that are surging on offense. Believe it or not, Winnipeg has scored three or more goals in seven of their last ten games and rarely put up duds on the scoreboard. The Jets are led by Mark Scheifele who has been automatic with 57 points on the campaign. Furthermore, this offense clicks on all cylinders when they get the entire team involved. Don't be surprised if guys like Sean Monahan, Kyle Connor, and even Nikolaj Ehlers gets in on the scoring fun. When this scoring attack reaches full force, then they are extremely difficult to slow down.
Ultimately, it is the Winnipeg defense that should be the most feared heading into this showdown. On paper, the Jets are holding their opponents to the second-fewest goals per game allowed and are backed by one of the top goaltenders that hockey has to offer in Connor Hellebuyck. With a .921 save percentage thus far, things are looking grim for an already underwhelming Ducks offense with Hellebuyck patrolling the crease.
Final Ducks-Jets Prediction & Pick
Don't spend too much brain power over this one. Although Winnipeg has struggled to string together back-to-back wins of late, they obviously have a mighty talent advantage over Anaheim. Take the Jets in this one!
Click here for more betting news and predictions
Final Ducks-Jets Prediction & Pick: Jets -1.5 (-152)
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