The Winnipeg Jets might catch a significant break Wednesday night in Edmonton as they continue their charge toward a Western Conference playoff berth. The Jets carry a three-game winning streak into their showdown with an Oilers team that could be without Connor McDavid, who missed the previous game against Vegas with an illness and is questionable for this one.
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
This one opened with the Oilers as comfortable favorites, though there will certainly be movement either way depending on McDavid’s game status. The total is set at 5.5.
Winnipeg News & Notes
Just as quickly as a three-game losing streak threw Winnipeg’s playoff chances into peril, the Jets have responded with four wins in five games and start the day just one point back of the second Western Conference wild-card spot. But their remaining regular-season schedule is a bit of a bear, with eight of their final 12 games coming away from Winnipeg.
Their postseason hopes might ultimately come down to whether forward Kyle Connor can maintain his incredible productivity. Connor comes into the night ranked sixth in the NHL with 36 goals, and ranks fourth in career tallies (103) among all forwards from his 2015 NHL Draft class. He also has six goals over his last six games, and scored in a 3-2 loss to the Oilers on February 29.
Edmonton News & Notes
McDavid’s absence was noticeably felt last time out – the Oilers were fortunate to escape with a point in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Golden Knights after being outshot by a 48-24 margin. McDavid, who ranks second in the NHL with 96 points (33 goals, 63 assists) in 63 games, is considered a game-time decision, so bettors should closely monitor his status.
Of course, the Oilers might still be in decent shape without their captain if they could find a way to see more power-play time. Edmonton owns the No. 1 man-advantage unit in the league by a wide margin at 29.6 percent but has seen just two total power-play opportunities over its previous three games and was shut out completely in the loss to the Golden Knights.
Betting Pick: OVER
McDavid or no McDavid, the Oilers average 6.66 total goals per game at home while the Jets are playing great hockey and should see plenty of quality scoring chances here.