The Jets snapped out of their funk just in time to secure the No. 3 seed in the West Division and will play Game 1 in Edmonton against the No. 2 seeded Oilers in the opening round of the playoffs. Let’s break this matchup down and cash another ticket in our NHL picks on Wednesday night!
Wednesday, May 19, 2021 – 9:00 PM EDT at Rogers Place
The Jets’ shame spiral nearly spun them right out of the playoffs, having dropped seven straight down the home stretch before righting the ship by winning three of their last five regular-season contests. Winnipeg closed the curtain on their 2020-2021 season with a 5-0 shutout over Vancouver followed by a big 4-2 win over the powerful Maple Leafs last Friday. Jets’ leading goal scorer, Kyle Connor, tallied twice in the victory over the Leafs while Mason Appleton and Jansen Harkins (empty netter) also lit the lamp. Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 34 of 36 shots and was sharp throughout.
“Looking forward to it, kind of a sense of excitement in that room,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “You win a game, feel good, and you get to play fun games now.” “Excited about having an opportunity to compete in the playoffs,” Jets captain Blake Wheeler said. “That’s what you play for. You play for a chance to play in the playoffs. One of 16 teams that has a chance to win it all. Nobody picked us to be alive right now, so we have a lot to be proud of for the way we competed in the regular season.” Winnipeg finished with a 30-23-3 record but it should be noted that they fared better on the road than they did at home as evidenced by their 17-10-1 mark on the highway versus a middling 13-13-2 record at home.
Just because the Oilers dominated the Jets during the regular season doesn’t mean a victory for them on Wednesday night is a foregone conclusion. However, it is cause for pause when one considers that Edmonton won seven of nine games against Winnipeg this year including the last six meetings between the clubs. But the playoffs always bring a more energized brand of hockey and anything can happen in the postseason. Nevertheless, Edmonton had won six of seven before their regular-season finale, a disappointing 4-1 loss to the Canucks last Saturday.
“That game was a win if nobody got hurt and nobody got hurt so we’re taking a win,” Oilers coach Dave Tippett said. “Other than that, it was a game that had no meaning to it from our side so we got through it fine.” Connor McDavid added an assist to cap off a fine season in which he ended with 105 points and won the scoring title. Mikko Koskinen stopped 37 of 41 shots in defeat.
It’s easy to pick the Oilers to win, particularly in light of their recent domination of the Jets. That’s square money just waiting to be taken because Joe Q. Public will be wearing that stat like a badge of honor when he lays all of that juice that the best online betting sites are asking. As of this early writing, the NHL odds at those shops are dealing the hometown Oilers as anywhere between -150 and -160 favorites. That is the highest they have been against the Jets all season long. But the question remains, why bet Winnipeg on Wednesday night? Well, the inflated number is certainly worth a second look yet we must remember, there is no value in losing. But I don’t think the Jets will lose on Wednesday night.
Winnipeg has a terrific netminder in Connor Hellebuyck who should be the fresher of the two starting goalies. Edmonton’s Mike Smith is a 39-year-old journeyman who has played well this season but I believe he will wear out as the postseason begins. While many will point to his recent success over Winnipeg, the truth is that the Jets have played on their heels, preferring to play not to lose as opposed to trying to win while trying to slow down the likes of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Wednesday night they will throw as much rubber as possible on Smith and let Hellebuyck handle the rest.
Some might recall that Smith had his worst performance of the season against the Jets back in the middle of February when he allowed four goals on 11 shots and was chased in the second period of a 6-5 loss to Winnipeg. There is no reason to believe Winnipeg will be careful after so many losses to the Oilers. I trust Hellebuyck to steal a game and we will get plenty of the bookie’s juice when he does. Back the live road hound here.
NHL Pick: Jets +140 at Bookmaker