With the series tied 4-4, the Vegas Golden Knights and the Winnipeg Jets face off at Bell MTS Place in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. NBC will broadcast the matchup, which gets going at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 12.
Vegas Golden Knights at Winnipeg Jets Odds
Winnipeg (-145) is currently favored over Vegas (+125), and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals (-110 for the over, -110 for the under). After originally opening at -130 over and +110 under, those lines have shifted.
Earning 20.8 units for moneyline bettors, Winnipeg is 60-34 straight up (SU) overall this year. That winning percentage, ranked third in the NHL in this young season, is a welcome improvement over the 40-42 record from the 2016-17 season campaign. Through 94 regular season outings, 46 of its games have gone over the total, while an additional 46 have gone under and just two have pushed. This year, the team’s 36-11 SU at home.
Following a regular season where they converted 23.4 percent of all power-play opportunities (the fifth-strongest), the Jets have been able to score on 22.6 percent of their power plays in the postseason. Their penalty kill has gone from 81.0 percent in the regular season to 74.2 percent in the playoffs.
The Jets’ offense attempted 32.4 shots per game in the regular season, leading to 3.4 goals per contest (ranked second overall in the NHL). In the playoffs, the team is managing an average of 33.8 shots on goal ( 3.6 goals per game).
Averaging 28.3 saves per game with a .924 save percentage, Connor Hellebuyck (52-27-10) has been the primary option in goal for the Jets this year. If the Jets choose to rest him, however, head coach Paul Maurice may turn to Steve Mason (5-9-9 record, .907 save percentage, 3.15 goals against average).
Blake Wheeler and Patrik Laine will both lead the offensive attack for the Jets. Wheeler (106 points) has tallied 26 goals and 80 assists and has recorded two or more points 28 times this year. Laine has 47 goals and 33 assists to his name and has recorded a point in 59 games.
On the other side of the rink, Vegas is 59-33 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 21.6 units this year. A total of 46 of its contests have gone over the total, while 43 have gone under and just three have pushed. As the visiting team, the Golden Knights are 26-20 SU.
The Golden Knights have scored on 21.1 percent of their power play opportunities this year, a mark that places it in the top-10 among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked seventh overall and it’s successfully killed off 82.3 percent of all opponent power plays.
Vegas’ players have been penalized only 3.4 times per game in total this season, and 4.7 per game over their last ten outings. The team has been forced to stave off opponent power plays a whopping 14.8 minutes per game over their last five outings.
Marc-Andre Fleury (.932 save percentage and 2.10 goals against average) has been the primary option in goal for Vegas. Fleury is averaging 28.6 saves per game and owns a 37-19-5 record.
Leading the offensive counter for the visiting Golden Knights will be William Karlsson (47 goals, 41 assists) and Jonathan Marchessault (31 goals, 55 assists).
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Winnipeg Jets Free Picks
Free Pick: SU Winner – Golden Knights, O/U – Under
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Notes
Betting Notes
The over has hit in three of Winnipeg’s last five outings.
Vegas has managed 29.4 shot attempts per game over its last five road games while Winnipeg is averaging 36.4 shots per game over its last five at home.
Winnipeg is averaging 3.4 goals per game in its past five games (the team’s a perfect 0-0 SU during that span).
Four of Vegas’ last ten games have been decided by two goals or more. The team is 3-1 in those games.
The Jets this season have registered the 11th-most hits per game (22.8), but that number has risen to 27.4 over their last five home games.
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