The NHL’s Central Division is completely up for grabs with Winnipeg, Nashville, St. Louis and perhaps even Dallas still in the mix. Thus every division game is important. It’s possible that Friday’s Blues at Jets matchup is a first-round playoff preview – Winnipeg is the NHL’s best home team and solidly favored on the NHL betting odds for this one.
Star Jets center Mark Scheifele (upper body) will make his return on Friday. Scheifele will be on a line with Blake Wheeler and Patrik Laine. Roslovic, who had been skating on the top line, will drop to the fourth unit as a result. This will be Scheifele’s first game since Dec. 27. He has 15 goals and 38 points in 38 games this season.
It should be Hellebuyck in net, but if something happens his backup, Michael Hutchinson, is dealing with a concussion. Hutchinson sustained the injury during a morning skate. The Jets are also missing goaltender Steve Mason due to a concussion. Eric Comrie has been summoned to serve as Hellebuyck’s understudy for now.
How to Bet Blues at Jets NHL Betting Odds & Game Info
When: Friday, 8 PM ET Where: Bell MTS Place TV: NHL Center Ice, FSMW Radio: Newsradio 1120 KMOX (St. Louis) / 1290 AM (Winnipeg) Opening NHL Betting Odds: Winnipeg -220Season Series
These teams played a home-and-home on Dec. 16-17. The first was in St. Louis and the Blues won 2-0. Carter Hutton made a career-high 48 saves in the shutout. He was tested early and often as Winnipeg peppered him with 15 shots in the first period and 21 more in the second. The 48 saves set a franchise record for the most in a shutout, topping Chris Mason’s mark of 47 on Nov. 25, 2008, at Nashville. Vladimir Tarasenko and Vince Dunn scored for St. Louis. Steve Mason stopped 28 for the Jets. The next night in Winnipeg, the Jets won 4-0. Connor Hellebuyck had 24 saves. Patrik Laine, Adam Lowry, Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey scored for Winnipeg. Morrissey also had an assist, and Andrew Copp and Jacob Trouba added two each. Jake Allen had 42 saves for the Blues.Why Bet on St. Louis?
It’s the second of a back-to-back for the Blues as they hosted Colorado on Thursday so that’s a tough turnaround. Hutton was to start that one, so it’s not clear if he would play Friday too or if it would be Jake Allen. Hutton has been great with a 14-5-1 record, 1.74 GAA, and .943 save percentage in 24 contests in 2017-18 entering Thursday. Entering Thursday, Jaden Schwartz has two goals in his last three games after returning from an ankle injury that sidelined him for 20 games. Alexander Steen has seven goals and five assists (12 points) in his last 13 games. Brayden Schenn is one point shy of reaching 300 for his NHL career. Off a bad loss Tuesday to the Wild, Coach Mike Yeo shook up his lines Thursday. Paul Stastny centered Steen and Vladimir Tarasenko, and struggling Patrik Berglund played right wing alongside Schwartz and Schenn. It was only the third time this season Berglund has started a game on the wing. Vladimir Sobotka started a game at center for the first time this season, skating between Dmitrij Jaskin and Tage Thompson, who was back into the lineup after one game as a healthy scratch. We will have to see if the changes spill over to Friday.Why Bet on Winnipeg?
The Jets continue to surprise and battle for the Central Division lead and most points in the West. They won a second straight Tuesday, 4-3 over Colorado. Dustin Byfuglien scored a goal and an assist. Byfuglien had a productive night in his 800th career NHL game. He helped set up Jack Roslovic’s goal 30 seconds into the first period before adding one of his own less than 7:30 later. The 32-year-old has three goals and 23 points in 42 games this season. He had been on a nine-game goal drought. Roslovic lit the lamp for the third time in five games. Roslovic has scored a goal in each of the last two games after he got his first NHL goal on Jan. 25 versus Anaheim. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 21 of 24 shots. Hellebuyck has now gone seven games without suffering a loss in regulation (5-0-2). He has a 28-6-8 record with a 2.32 goals-against-average and a .924 save percentage this season.
Star Jets center Mark Scheifele (upper body) will make his return on Friday. Scheifele will be on a line with Blake Wheeler and Patrik Laine. Roslovic, who had been skating on the top line, will drop to the fourth unit as a result. This will be Scheifele’s first game since Dec. 27. He has 15 goals and 38 points in 38 games this season.
It should be Hellebuyck in net, but if something happens his backup, Michael Hutchinson, is dealing with a concussion. Hutchinson sustained the injury during a morning skate. The Jets are also missing goaltender Steve Mason due to a concussion. Eric Comrie has been summoned to serve as Hellebuyck’s understudy for now.
Latest NHL Betting Trends
- St. Louis is 1-8 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Winnipeg
- St. Louis is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 18 of St. Louis’s last 25 games
- Winnipeg is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing St. Louis
- Winnipeg is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Winnipeg’s last 10 games
