The Winnipeg Jets at the Nashville Predators in Bridgestone Arena in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semis. The match gets started at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, April 27, and it’s being shown live on NBC Sports Network.
Winnipeg Jets at Nashville Predators Odds
With a moneyline of -155, Nashville enters the contest as the substantial favorite. The line for Winnipeg sits at +135, and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at 6 goals (-115 for the over, -105 for the under). After they initially opened at -110 for either, those lines have shifted.
Earning moneyline bettors 13.3 units, Nashville is 57-31 straight up (SU) overall this year. That winning percentage, ranked second in the league so far in the early season, is a solid improvement compared to how the team performed during the 2016-17 season (41-41). Through 88 regular season outings, 44 of its games have gone over the total, while 43 have gone under and just one has pushed. The team’s 30-14 SU at home this year.
The Predators’ offense attempted 32.4 shots per game in the regular season, resulting in 3.3 goals per contest (ranked seventh overall in the NHL). In the postseason, the club is up to an average of 35.3 shots on goal 3.7 goals per game.
Following a regular season where they found the net on 20.8 percent of all power-play chances (the 14th-rated), the Predators have connected on 15.8 percent of their power plays in the postseason. Their penalty kill has gone from 82.4 percent in the regular season to 90.0 percent in the playoffs.
With a .926 save percentage and 28.4 saves per game, Pekka Rinne (46-19-4) has been the top option in goal for the Preds this year. If head coach Peter Laviolette decides to give him a breather, however, Nashville might turn to Juuse Saros (12-15-15 record, .926 save percentage, 2.39 goals against average).
Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson will each be focal points for the Predators. Forsberg (70 points) has tallied 30 goals and 40 assists and has recorded two or more points on 20 different occasions this year. Arvidsson has 31 goals and 33 assists to his name and has notched a point in 45 contests.
On the other side of the rink, Winnipeg is 56-31 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 19.8 units this year. Through 87 regular season matches, 43 of its games have gone under the total, while 42 have gone over and just two have pushed. As the away team, the Jets are 21-22 SU.
The Jets have scored on 23.5 percent of their power play chances this season, a figure that places it in the top-five among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked ninth overall and it’s successfully killed off 81.5 percent of all penalties.
Winnipeg’s skaters have been whistled for penalties 3.9 times per game in total this season, and 4.8 per game over their last five on the road. The team has had to defend opponent power plays 11.2 minutes per game over their last five road outings.
Connor Hellebuyck (2.33 goals against average and .924 save percentage) has been the main option in goal for Winnipeg. Hellebuyck is averaging 27.8 saves per game and has 48 wins, 24 losses, and nine OT losses to his credit.
For the visiting Jets, the offense will be coordinated by Blake Wheeler, who has 71 assists and 24 goals on the year.
Winnipeg Jets vs. Nashville Predators Betting Predictions
NHL Prediction: SU Winner – Jets, O/U – Under
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Notes
Betting Trends
Over Nashville’s last ten outings, five of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 4-1 in those games).
Winnipeg is scoring 3.2 goals per game over the team’s five-game winning streak.
Power plays and penalty kills may prove to be critical tonight. The Jets are 24-11 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 37-20 when they serve fewer than 10 penalty minutes, in total. The Predators are 21-7 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 27-16 in games where their penalty minutes are in the single digits.
Winnipeg is 4-2 in games decided by a shootout this season while Nashville is 6-7 in shootouts.
The under has hit in three of Nashville’s last five outings.
Nashville is ranked 16th this season with 9.5 giveaways per game. That figure has trended lower lately, however, as the team’s averaged 7.9 giveaways over its last 10 games and 7.2 giveaways over its last five.
Winnipeg is ranked 21st this season with 10.0 giveaways per game. That figure’s trended down lately, however, as it’s averaged 8.3 giveaways over its last 10 games and 8.8 giveaways over its last five.
Winnipeg skaters have accounted for the league’s 11th-most hits per game (22.9).
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