Bell MTS Place plays host to an East-West matchup as the Winnipeg Jets square off against the visiting Detroit Red Wings. It’s the final time that the two clubs will go at it in the regular season. The opening face-off takes place at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, March 2, and you can catch it live on Fox Sports Detroit Plus.
Detroit Red Wings at Winnipeg Jets Odds
Winnipeg (-215) is currently the favorite over Detroit (+180), and the oddsmakers have put the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals (-125 money on the over, +105 on the under).
Winnipeg is 37-26 straight up (SU) and has netted moneyline bettors 6.8 units this year. That win percentage, the second-best in the Central Division so far in this young season, is a welcome improvement compared to how the team performed during last year’s regular season (40-42). Through 63 regular season outings, 33 of its games have gone over the total, while 28 have gone under and just two have pushed. The team is 23-9 SU at home this season.
The Jets currently have the second-strongest power-play unit in the NHL, as they’ve found the net on 24.8 percent of their extra-man advantages this year. On the other hand, their penalty kill is ranked ninth overall, and they’ve successfully killed off 82.5 percent of all penalties.
The Jets, as a collective unit, have been called for penalties 3.9 times per game overall this season, 4.2 per game over their past five games total, and 4.4 per game over their last five home outings. The team’s had to defend opponent power plays for just 8.4 minutes per game over their last five outings, in total.
With a .922 save percentage and 27.6 saves per game, Connor Hellebuyck (32 wins, 20 losses, and eight OT losses) has been the top goalkeeper for the Jets this year. If Winnipeg decides to give him the night off, however, the team could turn to Steve Mason (3-8-8 record, .897 save percentage, 3.52 goals against average).
Blake Wheeler and Patrik Laine will both be focal points for the Jets. Wheeler (73 points) has tallied 18 goals and 55 assists and has recorded multiple points in 21 different games this year. Laine has 31 goals and 22 assists to his credit and has recorded a point in 39 games.
Detroit is 26-37 straight up (SU) and has lost 8.4 units for bettors taking the moneyline this year. A total of 38 of its contests have gone under the total, while 24 have gone over and just one has pushed. As the away team, the Red Wings are 13-16 SU.
The Red Wings have converted on just 18.5 percent of their power play chances this season, a figure that’s ranked 24th in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 23rd overall and it’s successfully killed off 78.2 percent of all penalties.
Detroit’s players have been penalized 3.6 times per game this season, and 2.6 per game over their past five contests. The team’s had to defend opponent power plays just 6.4 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Jimmy Howard (26.5 saves per game) has been the primary option in the net for Detroit. Howard owns an 18-29-7 record, while registering a .912 save percentage and 2.76 goals against average this year.
Dylan Larkin (nine goals, 38 assists) has been one of the primary offensive facilitators for the visiting Red Wings.
Detroit Red Wings at Winnipeg Jets Free Picks
Pick: SU Winner – Jets, O/U – Under
Betting Notes
- Over Winnipeg’s last ten outings, six of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 4-2 in those games).
- Penalties and power plays could prove to be critical in the outcome of this one. The Red Wings are 9-13 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 18-26 when they’re in the penalty box for fewer than 10 minutes, total. The Jets are 17-8 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 23-16 in games where total penalty minutes are in the single digits.
- Detroit is 4-1 in games decided by a shootout this season while Winnipeg is 2-2 in shootouts.
- The over has hit in four of Winnipeg’s last five outings.
- Winnipeg is ranked 22nd this season with 10.3 giveaways per game. That figure has trended higher recently, as it’s averaged 12.5 giveaways over its last 10 games and 13.2 giveaways over its last five.
- Detroit skaters have averaged 7.4 giveaways over its last five home games, an improvement from its season average of 10.7 giveaways per game (ranked 23rd).
