The Winnipeg Jets will try to right the ship on Wednesday, but they’ll face a tall task as they host the red-hot Minnesota Wild.
The Jets are coming off a disappointing overtime loss to the lowly San Jose Sharks on Monday and have dropped six of their last seven contests. Winnipeg is clinging to the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.
The Jets will face a Wild squad that has won eight of their last 10 games as they creep up on the Dallas Stars for the Central Division lead. Fortunately for Winnipeg, the Wild are playing the second game of a back-to-back, having lost to the Calgary Flames in a shootout last night.
The Jets are -125 moneyline favourites at home, and the total is set at 5.5 goals on Wednesday night at bet365.
Wild vs. Jets odds
| Jets Moneyline Odds | -125 |
| Wild Moneyline Odds | +105 |
| Over/Under | 5.5 goals (over -120, under +100) |
| Time/Date | Wednesday, March. 8, 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | Broadcast: Sportsnet, Bally Sports North (Minnesota Local) Stream: Sportsnet Now Premium (How to watch the NHL in Canada?) |
All odds courtesy of 
Previous matchups
Minnesota has dominated the season series thus far, winning both games this season by a combined score of 10-2. The most recent matchup between the teams came on Dec. 27 and the Wild emerged victorious by a score of 4-1. Mats Zuccarello had a goal and an assist for Minny. These two Central Division rivals will face off once more after Wednesday, on April 11, in Minnesota.
About the Jets (36-25-3, 35-29 ATS, 19-41-4 o/u)
Prior to their nail-biting loss to the Sharks, the Jets broke out for an offensive explosion in a 7-5 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Goal scoring inconsistencies have threatened to sink the Jets this season but fortunately for Winnipeg fans, they play in the Western Conference, where a playoff spot is a far more attainable goal than it is in the East.
Winnipeg’s 75 points sees it four points clear of the Flames for the final playoff spot. The Jets boast a game in hand on their Western Canadian rival and can build on their lead with a win tonight. Despite their peaks and valleys, Winnipeg owns a +20 goal differential which is typically an excellent predictor of future playoff qualification. This is in large part due to the dependable play of their premiere goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck.
Player to watch: Josh Morrissey
Morrissey continues his great campaign with eight points over his last four games, including four goals. The most consistent performer for Winnipeg this season, Morrissey will get serious Norris Trophy consideration when it’s all said and done.
About the Wild (36-21-7, 26-38 ATS, 23-39-2 o/u)
Minnesota’s season is a bit of a contradiction thus far. The Wild are one of the most offensively-starved clubs in the league, owning the lowest shooting percentage of any team currently in a playoff position (6.89%). As it has been for several years now, Kirill Kaprizov drives the bus for the Wild. He leads the squad with 39 goals, 34 assists, and 244 shots on goal this season.
Despite their lack of goal scoring power, the Wild are in the midst of a serious hot steak. They’ve won eight of their last 10 games, on the back of their elite goaltending tandem of Marc-Andre Fleury and Filip Gustavsson who boast a combined save percentage of .914. The Wild will provide a tough test for the Jets, as they tend to grind out hard-fought, low-scoring victories.
Player to watch: John Klingberg
Klingberg’s big bet on himself last summer has quickly turned into a disaster. After reportedly turning down an extension in Dallas worth around $60 million, Klingberg opted to sign a one-year deal with Anaheim in hopes of landing a bigger deal this summer in free agency. It hasn’t gone as planned. Klingberg’s offensive production cratered in California and he was flipped to Minnesota for scraps at the deadline. Klingberg doesn’t have many games to impress potential suitors, so he’ll be extra motivated to produce with his new club.
Probable goaltenders
Winnipeg: Connor Hellebuyck (26-18-2, 2.62 GAA, .919 SV%) – Probable.
Minnesota: Marc-Andre Fleury (19-12-3, 2.81 GAA, .905 SV%) – Probable.
Noteworthy absences
No noteworthy absences.
Betting trends to watch
- Under is 7-2 in the last nine meetings in Winnipeg.
- Wild are 10-4 in the last 14 meetings.
- Under is 7-0 in the Wild’s last seven road games.
- Jets are 1-6 in their last seven overall.
Wagers to consider
- Under 5.5 – Game Total: -105. These two squads love hitting the under. The Jets and Wild play under the expected goal total 67.2% and 62.5% of the time, respectively.
- John Klingberg anytime goal: +600. The aforementioned Klingberg has to get his game going to court potential free agency suitors. The long odds for him scoring tonight might be worth a punt.
