Two teams that split their head-to-head series (one win apiece) a year ago, the Winnipeg Jets and the Florida Panthers clash at Hartwall Arena for an East-versus-West matchup. The opening face-off is at 2 p.m. ET on Thursday, November 1, and you can watch the game live on NBC Sports Network.
Winnipeg Jets at Florida Panthers Odds
,With a moneyline of -145, Winnipeg heads into the matchup as the obvious favorite. The line for Florida sits at +125 and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at 6 goals. The odds for betting the total stand at -120 for the over and +100 for the under.
Winnipeg is 7-5 straight up (SU) and has earned 0.5 units for moneyline bettors this year. Seven of its games have gone under the total, while three have gone over and just two have pushed. This 2018-19 Jets team is 2-3 SU on the road.
Winnipeg has impressively found the net on 31.4 percent of its power play opportunities thus far. That’s a nice step forward from last year, when it was ranked sixth in the league by converting on 23.4 percent of its extra-man opportunities. Its penalty kill has also gotten stronger since last year, as the team’s gone from successfully defending 81.0 percent of all opponent power plays (ranked 11th overall last season) to 82.9 percent this year.
Winnipeg, as a collective unit, has been penalized 4.5 times per game in the 2018-19 season, a number that is up a bit from last year’s 3.8 penalties per game. After serving an average of 8.6 penalty minutes per game a season ago the team’s had to kill penalties for a whopping 14.2 minutes per matchup this year.
With a .907 save percentage and 29.2 saves per game, Connor Hellebuyck (4-5-1) has been the primary option in goal for Winnipeg this season. If head coach Paul Maurice decides to rest him, however, the team could turn to Laurent Brossoit (3-0 record, .957 save percentage, 1.67 goals against average).
The visiting Jets will be led by Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler. Scheifele has 12 points on six goals and six assists, and has recorded multiple points in two different games. Wheeler has two goals and nine assists to his name (and has notched a point in eight games).
On the other side of the rink, Florida is 2-7 straight up (SU) and has already lost 7.7 units for moneyline bettors this year. Five of its contests have gone over the total, while four have gone under and none have pushed. It’s 0-3 SU as the home team so far this year.
Florida has killed off an impressive 71.0 percent of all penalties, a few points off from the 80.3 percent the team posted a year ago (when it was ranked 15th overall). It has found the net on 15.0 percent of its power plays this year after converting on 18.9 percent (ranked 21st in league) last season.
Florida skaters have been penalized 4.2 times per game this season. Last year, that number was at 4.1, the sixth-worst mark in the league. After serving an average of 11.0 penalty minutes per game a year ago, the team’s been forced to kill penalties for 9.7 minutes per matchup this season.
James Reimer has stopped 18.6 shots per game as the top netminder in goal for Florida. Reimer has two wins, five losses, and one OT loss to his name and has recorded a pedestrian 3.41 goals against average and a fairly-weak .878 save percentage this season.
The home team offense will be led by Evgenii Dadonov (four goals, six assists).
Winnipeg Jets vs. Florida Panthers Betting Predictions
,NHL Tip: SU Winner – Panthers, O/U – Over
