The Winnipeg Jets wrap up their final road trip of the regular season against a Chicago Blackhawks team that they outmatch in every aspect and they will look to capitalize on that as they keep themselves in solid rhythm heading into the NHL Playoffs.
NHL
The Winnipeg Jets conclude their final road trip of the regular season Saturday with a matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center. Oddsmakers list Winnipeg as a -282 favorite, with the total set at six goals.
Winnipeg has won 13 of the past 15 meetings between these two teams, with nine of those 13 wins coming by at least a two-goal margin. I expect this trend to continue, as I explain in my Jets vs. Blackhawks predictions.
Read on for my NHL picks for April 12.
My Jets pick: Jets -1.5 (-104 at Pinnacle)
My Jets analysis
There is not a single category in which the Chicago Blackhawks have an advantage over the Winnipeg Jets.
First, Winnipeg is the superior offensive team. Over the past two months, the Jets rank 13th in expected goals for per 60 minutes (xGF/60). Meanwhile, Chicago ranks last.
During that same stretch, Winnipeg ranks first in expected goals against per 60 minutes (xGA/60). In that category, the Blackhawks rank 26th.
Subsequently, the Jets rank 24 spots higher in expected goals for percentage (xGF%). Not only is Winnipeg the superior offensive and defensive team, but it also possesses the clear advantage in net.
Connor Hellebuyck is now the betting favorite to become the first goaltender to win the Hart Trophy since Carey Price in 2014-15. Through 61 appearances this season, Hellebuyck is 45-12-3 with a .925 save percentage and 1.99 goals-against average.
Spencer Knight gets the start across the ice for Chicago. Unsurprisingly, he trails Hellebuyck in each of those three categories.
Winnipeg opened as a -275 favorite and has since been bet up to -282. The line is likely to inflate further based on the aforementioned metrics.
The total opened at six and remains unchanged. The juice favors the under, and with Hellebuyck in net, it wouldn’t be surprising if the market pushes this line to 5.5.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Odds courtesy of Pinnacle
Winnipeg has won 13 of the past 15 meetings between these two teams, with nine of those 13 wins coming by at least a two-goal differential. Find more NHL betting trends for Jets vs. Blackhawks.
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Tony Sartori has written over 1,000 pieces of sports betting content across multiple different media outlets. He covers the NHL, UFC, PGA, NFL and MLB. Tony started part-time while attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he went on to receive a B.A. in Economics and a certificate in Entrepreneurship in 2022. He continues to work full-time in the sports betting landscape.
Due to the variety of sports he covers, Tony is handicapping every day. If he had one piece of betting advice for a new sports bettor, it would be to strictly enforce bankroll management rules for yourself. If you set aside $10,000 for your betting bankroll, then you should generally only be betting between $100 – $500 per play.
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