If back in October you predicted the Vegas Golden Knights and Winnipeg Jets would be the last two teams standing in the NHL’s Western Conference, well, I don’t believe you. The Knights are having the greatest season ever for an expansion team and the Jets weren’t even a postseason club a year ago. The two meet in Winnipeg for Game 2 on Monday night with the Jets up 1-0 and favored in the hockey odds.
Mark Scheifele picked up a goal and an assist in Game 1. Scheifele registered the primary assist on Dustin Byfuglien’s tally to make it 1-0 for the Jets. He then added a goal of his own at the 9:54 mark of the second frame to make it 4-1. Scheifele finished the night with an even rating, one shot on goal and five hits in 20:26 of ice time. The 25-year-old has 12 goals (most of any player) and 18 points in 13 games this postseason. The NHL record is 19 goals in one playoff year, shared by Philadelphia’s Reggie Leach (1975-76) and Edmonton’s Jari Kurri (1984-85). If the Jets make the Stanley Cup Finals, Scheifele has a shot to break that.
Blake Wheeler registered three assists. Wheeler set up two of the three goals that Winnipeg scored in the first eight minutes of the opening frame. Those were scored by Dustin Byfuglien and Patrik Laine (power play). The Jets captain also helped Scheifele’s power-play tally in the second frame to extend Winnipeg’s lead to 4-1 at the time. Wheeler finished with a minus-1 rating and two shots on goal in 17:59 of ice time. Even though he’s gone five games without a goal, Wheeler has racked up eight assists in his last four outings. He has three goals and 15 assists in 13 playoff contests.
How to Bet Game 2 Knights at Jets Hockey Odds & NHL Playoffs Info
When: Monday, 8 PM ET Where: Bell MTS Place, Winnipeg TV: NBC Sports Network Stream: NHL.tv Radio: 98.9 FM (Vegas) / 1290 AM (Winnipeg) Opening Hockey Odds: Jets -145, Knights +130 (6)Why Bet on Vegas?
The Knights were 4-2 losers in Game 1 but haven’t lost back-to-back games yet in these playoffs. Star William Karlsson scored a goal in the Game 1 loss. The Golden Knights came out of the gate sluggish, as they found themselves down 3-0 before the game was eight minutes old. Karlsson cut Winnipeg’s lead to 4-2 with a power play goal late in the second period, but that’s as close as they’d come to tying the game. The 25-year-old now has five goals and 11 points in 11 postseason games. Brayden McNabb also found the back of the net for Vegas. Jonathan Marchessault picked up a pair of assists in the defeat. The Golden Knights forward finished the game with a plus-1 rating, one shot on goal and three hits in 18:22 of ice time. Since collecting two points in the first four games of the playoffs, the 27-year-old has racked up 11 points in his last seven games. He’s up to four goals and 13 points in 11 contests. Marc-Andre Fleury allowed four goals on 26 shots. The Jets’ potent attack got to Fleury early, as they managed to beat him three times in the first 7:35 of action. The Winnipeg crowd got on Fleury’s case by chanting his name throughout Game 1. Fleury has been solid throughout the postseason, but he’s now given up three goals or more in five of his last six outings. The 33-year-old owns an 8-3 record with a 1.74 goals-against-average and a .943 save percentage in the playoffs.What Do The Golden Knights Have to Do to Win Game 2?
The Vegas players acknowledge they must get off to a better start in Game 2. “If we start the right way, we will be fine,” Marchessault said. “Good (offensive) zone shifts, puck management and bring a little more shots to the net and we will be fine. But the next game is no excuse. Everybody has to come in and be ready to play our best game of the playoffs.” The Knights managed just 21 shots in Game 1. Coach Gerard Gallant said all four lines need to put more pressure on Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. “Everyone has to play better, all 20 guys,” he said. The game plan is to get pucks deep into the Winnipeg end, win the footraces and make the Jets defend the entire ice, not just the neutral zone, where they stymied the Knights in Game 1.Why Bet on Winnipeg?
Mark Scheifele picked up a goal and an assist in Game 1. Scheifele registered the primary assist on Dustin Byfuglien’s tally to make it 1-0 for the Jets. He then added a goal of his own at the 9:54 mark of the second frame to make it 4-1. Scheifele finished the night with an even rating, one shot on goal and five hits in 20:26 of ice time. The 25-year-old has 12 goals (most of any player) and 18 points in 13 games this postseason. The NHL record is 19 goals in one playoff year, shared by Philadelphia’s Reggie Leach (1975-76) and Edmonton’s Jari Kurri (1984-85). If the Jets make the Stanley Cup Finals, Scheifele has a shot to break that.
Blake Wheeler registered three assists. Wheeler set up two of the three goals that Winnipeg scored in the first eight minutes of the opening frame. Those were scored by Dustin Byfuglien and Patrik Laine (power play). The Jets captain also helped Scheifele’s power-play tally in the second frame to extend Winnipeg’s lead to 4-1 at the time. Wheeler finished with a minus-1 rating and two shots on goal in 17:59 of ice time. Even though he’s gone five games without a goal, Wheeler has racked up eight assists in his last four outings. He has three goals and 15 assists in 13 playoff contests.
Who Also Had a Good Game 1?
Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 19 of 21 shots. It’s the fourth time in five games that Hellebuyck allows two goals or fewer in the playoffs. The 24-year-old has a 9-4 record with a 2.23 goals-against-average and a .926 save percentage this postseason. The Jets expect a much better Vegas effort in Game 2. The Jets weren’t able to win back-to-back games in the second round against the Nashville Predators. “We know they’re going to come out strong,” said Scheifele. “We know they’re fast. We know they play a solid 200-foot game. So we know they’re going to come hungry and we have to be prepared for that.”Latest NHL Betting Trends
- Vegas is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games
- Vegas is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games
- Winnipeg is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games
- Winnipeg is 20-5 SU in its last 25 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Winnipeg’s last 9 games at home
