Two teams squaring off for the first time this year, the Winnipeg Jets and the Colorado Avalanche collide at the Pepsi Center in a Central Division showdown. Altitude Sports & Entertainment will broadcast the matchup, which gets going at 9:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, November 29.
Winnipeg Jets vs. Colorado Avalanche Odds
With a -130 moneyline, Winnipeg enters the contest as the favorite. The line for Colorado sits at +110 and the Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 6 goals. The line for betting that total stands at -125 over, +105 under.
Winnipeg is 15-9 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 6.0 units this season. Through 24 regular season outings, 13 of its games have gone over the total, while 11 have gone under and none have pushed. The Jets are 7-6 SU as the road team in 2017-18.
Winnipeg has converted on 25.0 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a mark that’s good enough for fourth-best in the league. Its penalty kill is ranked 21st overall, and it’s successfully killed off 78.6 percent of its penalties.
For the team as a whole, the Jets have been sent to the penalty box 4.2 times per game overall this season, and 3.6 per game over its last five road outings. The team has been forced to kill penalties just 8.6 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Sporting a .927 save percentage and 27.6 saves per game, Connor Hellebuyck (13-6-2) has been the primary option in goal for Winnipeg this year. If it decides to give him a rest, however, head coach Paul Maurice might turn to Steve Mason (2-6-1 record, .904 save percentage, 3.45 goals against average).
Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler will both lead the offensive attack for the visiting Jets. Scheifele has 28 points on 12 goals and 16 assists, and has recorded two or more points seven times. Wheeler has six goals and 22 assists to his credit (and has logged at least one point in 12 games).
Colorado is 11-11 straight up (SU) and has netted moneyline bettors 3.0 units this season. Through 22 regular season contests, 14 of its games have gone over the total, while eight have gone under and none have pushed. The team is 7-3 SU at home this season.
The Avalanche have converted on just 18.7 percent of their power play chances this year, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 27th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 76.2 percent of all opponent power plays.
Avalanche players have been sent to the penalty box 4.5 times per game in total this season, and 3.0 per game over their last five contests. The teams had to kill penalties just 8.7 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Semyon Varlamov has stopped 30.2 shots per game as the primary selection in goal for the Avalanche. Varlamov has seven wins, five losses, and one OT loss to his credit and has registered a poor .903 save percentage and 3.23 goals against average this season.
The home team offense will be led by Nathan MacKinnon (seven goals, 19 assists).
Winnipeg Jets at Colorado Avalanche Free Picks
Predictions: SU Winner – Avalanche, O/U – Over
Betting Notes
- Eight of Winnipeg’s last ten games have been decided by two goals or more. The team is 5-3 in those games.
- The Jets are 6-4 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 7-5 when they’re in the penalty box for fewer than 10 minutes, total.
- Winnipeg could hold an advantage if this one comes down to the wire. The teams 5-3 in games decided by one goal, while Colorado is 2-5 in such games.
- The under has hit in three of Colorado’s last five outings.
- Colorado skaters have averaged 8.0 giveaways over its last five home games, its season average of 7.4 giveaways per game (the 5th-fewest in the league).
- Winnipeg skaters have averaged 8.6 giveaways over its last five home games, an improvement from its season average of 10.0 giveaways per game (ranked 18th).
