The NHL is like every major sport in the fans have their own idea about which division and which conference is the best, usually based on the team that they follow. The stats and standings can give you some insight into the current state of play, but at the end of the day, the division and conference that gets to crow the loudest is the one that delivers the Stanley Cup Champion. With that in mind, all the gloating right now is going on in the Central Division of the Western Conference, which is where the St. Louis Blues call home.
The Blues have already opened up a nice little lead at the top of the Central, but the jockeying for position and playoff spots below them is a good one. Both the Winnipeg Jets and the Dallas Stars are in the thick of that battle and both would be in the playoffs if the regular season ended today. The Jets have a small lead on the Stars and will be looking to increase it when they head into Dallas on Thursday night. The Stars are in as a 1 ½ goal home favorite, with the goal total set at 5 ½.
Jets vs Stars NHL Betting Lines & Pick for Thursday Night
- When: Thursday, December 5 at 8:30 PM EST
- Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas
- Radio: SiriusXM
- Live Stream: NHL.tv
- NHL Odds: Dallas Stars -1.5 (Total 5.5)
Why bet on the Winnipeg Jets?
The Winnipeg Jets come into this one with a healthy 17-10-1 record on the season, which gives them 35 points and 3rd spot in the Central Division. As mentioned earlier, though, things are tight in this division, with the Jets sitting just 2 points ahead of the Dallas Stars. While Winnipeg has been good on the road this season, they did lose on the road to the Stars earlier in the season.These two teams have met 3 times already this season and it has been the home team that has come out on top in all 3 games. Winnipeg are actually down among the lowest scoring teams in the division, but they are also sod defensively, which is why they win so often. They are an impressive 11-4 ATS in road games this season.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 2.93
- Shots: 31.50
- PP/PK Percentage: 15.48
Defense
- Goals: 2.75
- Shots: 32.93
- PP/PK Percentage: 23.44
Why bet on the Dallas Stars?
The Dallas Stars are a team in need of a win after dropping each of their last 4 games to go to 6-3-1 in their last 10. In fairness, 3 of those 4 losses did come on the road, where the Stars have had difficulty being consistent this season. They are absolutely much better in their own building, going 9-4-1 through their first 14 games on home ice. They are similar to the Jets in that goals are tough to come by, but defense looks easy.
Despite scoring just 77 goals this season, the Stars are still in possession of a +3 goal differential, thanks in large part to a very solid defensive unit. Their games tend to be tight, so it is perhaps no real surprise that they are split right down the middle against the spread.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 2.62
- Shots: 30.55
- PP/PK Percentage: 14.81
Defense
- Goals: 2.52
- Shots: 30.79
- PP/PK Percentage: 14.00
Jets vs Stars NHL Betting Trends
- Jets are 7-2 SU in their last 9 games this season
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Winnipeg’s last 5 games on the road
- Stars are 7-1 SU in their last 8 games at home
- The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Dallas’ last 15 games when playing as the favorite
Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction for Jets vs Stars
Sometimes, the outcome of a game is all about timing. The Jets are getting the Dallas Stars at a time when they are going through a rough patch. If you want to play it safe, take the Jets to cover, but I am also going to play them straight up.Score: Winnipeg Jets 3 – Dallas Stars 2
