Squaring off for the final time this season, the Winnipeg Jets and the Carolina Hurricanes clash at PNC Arena in an East-West showdown. This one gets underway at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 4 and it’ll be shown live on Sportsnet.
Winnipeg Jets vs. Carolina Hurricanes Odds
Winnipeg (-120) is currently favored over Carolina (+100) and the oddsmakers have put the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals (-125 to bet the over, +105 for the under).
Winnipeg is 38-26 straight up (SU) and has earned 7.8 units for moneyline bettors this season. Through 64 regular season contests, 34 of its games have gone over the total, while 28 have gone under and just two have pushed. As a road team this season, the Jets are 14-17 SU.
Winnipeg enters the match up with the third-best power-play unit in the NHL, as it’s scored on 24.4 percent of its extra-man chances this season. Its penalty kill is ranked 12th overall, and the team’s successfully killed off 82.1 percent of its penalties.
For the team as a whole, the Jets have been penalized 3.9 times per game overall during the 2017-18 season, 3.6 per game over its last five contests total, and 4.4 per game over its last five road outings. The team has had to kill penalties just 7.2 minutes per game over their last five outings.
Averaging 27.6 saves per game with a .921 save percentage, Connor Hellebuyck (33-20-8) has been the best option in goal for Winnipeg this year. If head coach Paul Maurice chooses to rest him, however, Winnipeg might roll with Steve Mason (3-8-1 record, .897 save percentage, 3.52 goals against average).
Blake Wheeler and Patrik Laine will both lead the way for the visiting Jets. Wheeler (73 points) has tallied 18 goals and 55 assists, and has recorded two or more points 21 times. Laine has 33 goals and 22 assists to his name (and has notched at least one point in 40 games).
On the other side of the rink, Carolina is 29-36 straight up (SU) and has lost 11.7 units for moneyline bettors thus far. Through 65 regular season outings, 36 of its games have gone under the total, while 27 have gone over and just two have pushed. It’s 16-17 SU at home this season.
The Hurricanes have converted on just 18.9 percent of their power play chances this year, a figure that places them in the bottom 10 overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 21st overall, and it’s successfully killed off 79.4 percent of all opponent power plays.
Hurricanes skaters have been sent to the penalty box only 2.8 times per game in total this season, 3.0 per game over their past five match ups total, and 2.6 per game over their last five home outings. The team has had to kill penalties just 6.6 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Cam Ward has stopped 25.4 shots per game as the top netminder in goal for the Hurricanes. Ward has 19 wins, 15 losses, and four overtime losses to his credit and has registered a .910 save percentage and 2.60 goals against average this year.
The Canes offense will be led by Teuvo Teravainen (18 goals, 33 assists).
Winnipeg Jets at Carolina Hurricanes Free Picks
Pick: SU Winner – Jets, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes
Carolina is 3-3 in games decided by a shootout this season while Winnipeg is 2-2 in shootouts.
The total has gone under in three of Carolina’s last five outings.
Winnipeg has managed 27.0 shot attempts per game over its last five road games while Carolina has been attempting 37.2 shots per game over its last five at home.
Over Winnipeg’s last ten games, six of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 4-2 in those games).
