The Winnipeg Jets and Florida Panthers meet Friday in NHL action at the FLA Live Arena. The Winnipeg Jets look for a win after splitting their last 10 games. The Florida Panthers look to build on their eight-game winning streak.
The Winnipeg Jets are averaging 3.1 goals per game and are scoring on 21.7 percent of their power play opportunities. Kyle Connor leads Winnipeg with 42 goals, Blake Wheeler has 42 assists and Nikolaj Ehlers has 219 shots on goal. Defensively, the Winnipeg Jets are allowing 3.1 goals per game and are killing 74.5 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Connor Hellebuyck has given up 180 goals on 2,033 shots faced, and Eric Comrie has allowed 34 goals on 385 shots.
The Florida Panthers are averaging 4.2 goals per game and are scoring on 24 percent of their power play opportunities. Aleksander Barkov leads Florida with 34 goals, Jonathan Huberdeau has 77 assists and Sam Bennett has 214 shots on goal. Defensively, the Florida Panthers are allowing 2.9 goals per game and are killing 78.9 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Sergei Bobrovsky has given up 124 goals on 1,390 shots faced, and Spencer Knight has allowed 75 goals on 798 shots.
The Jets are 5-1 in their last 6 road games and 1-8 in their last 9 Friday games. The Panthers are 43-9 in their last 52 home games and 38-14 in their last 52 overall. The over is 5-2 in Jets last 7 road games. The over is 33-15-4 in Panthers last 52 overall. The favorite is 11-5 in the last 16 meetings. The road team is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
I’m not going to bet against the Florida Panthers at home with the way they’re playing right now and the way they’ve played at home overall this season. However, this line is disrespectful when you consider the Jets aren’t exactly a pushover, and they’ve played their best recent hockey on the road. The Jets have the offensive horses to hang around in this game. Also, the Panthers continue to do this weird thing where they get behind three or so goals just to win by the skin of their teeth. Give me the Jets and the free goal.