The measuring stick for the Winnipeg Jets and the Minnesota Wild NHL betting matchup could very well be the Pittsburgh Penguins. Both teams put a feather in their respective caps by defeating the current Stanley Cup champions, but while the Wild beat the Pens 2-1 by the skin of their teeth, the Jets clubbed the Penguins 7-0 like they were baby seals, including a Blake Wheeler hat-trick in the first period.
- Date: Tuesday, October 31
- Time: 8:05 PM
- Venue: Xcel Energy Center
- Online sportsbook odds for fans who bet on hockey:
Jets +1½ (-250) 5½ (-115) +115
Wild -1½ (+210) 5½ (-105) -135
Putting the ‘win’ in Winnipeg
The upset win over the Pens snapped a brief two-game skid for the Jets and improved their record to 5-3-2. And speaking of five and three, the Jets scored five goals in the first period against the Penguins on Sunday, three of which were, as mentioned above, manufactured by Wheeler, his second career hat-trick and first in almost ten years. The right winger was born in Plymouth, MN and attended the University of Minnesota, but don’t expect him to go easy on his home state. Wheeler paces the Jets with 12 points in 10 games, as well as a team-best eight assists, while Nikolaj Ehlers has six goals and eight points. The fact that the total has gone over in six of Winnipeg’s last eight games on the road is proof that the Jets can score away from home. In addition to that, the NHL betting total has gone over in eight of the Wild’s last 12 home games and seven of their last 10 overall, as well as in the last four games between these teams. About the only thing that could turn this into a low-scoring affair is that both Minnesota’s Devan Dubnyk and Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck, who have been rolling, start as their respective team’s goaltenders. But apparently Alex Stalock will start for the Wild.
BOUDREAU says Alex Stalock will start in net tonight. "He's flat out earned more playing time with his play." #mnwild
— KFAN1003 (@KFAN1003) October 31, 2017
Minnesota winger Nino Niederreiter hope to return to the ice against the Jets after missing six games due to a high ankle sprain. Head coach Bruce Boudreau said it was “a game-time decision,” but added “He’s trending in the right direction.”
BOUDREAU also confirms that Nino Niederreiter will be returning to the ice this evening after missing 6 games due to ankle injury. #mnwild
— KFAN1003 (@KFAN1003) October 31, 2017
Niederreiter, Charlie Coyle and Zach Parise have been sidelined for most of October, and while the team suffered from their absence at first, losing four of their first five games, the Wild has found a new lease on life thanks to Chris Stewart, who leads the team with six goals. Stewart has plied his trade with five different teams in 10 years, including a previous stint in Minnesota. The Wild is 3-2 SU and 4-1 against the NHL betting spread in the last five games. On the other hand, they are 1-7 in their last eight after allowing two goals or fewer in their previous game and are 1-5 in their last six games after a win, while the Jets are 4-0 in their last four after scoring five or more goals in their previous game and are 10-1 in their last 11 games playing on 1 days’ rest.