Winnipeg Jets (46-33-3) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (51-22-9)
The 2022-23 NHL playoffs season is underway with a four-game Tuesday card when the Vegas Golden Knights welcome the Winnipeg Jets for Game 1 of their first-round playoff series at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The puck drops at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Vegas defeated Winnipeg in all three games during the regular season, winning by a combined score of 13-8. That included winning two of the contests at home, but both of those contests were back in October (October 20, and October 30). The Golden Knights had to sneak out a 6-5 victory in Winnipeg on December 13, a contest where they were the underdogs (+123). Vegas enters this contest as the favorite (-145) with the total set at 5.5.
Despite suffering a 4-2 loss to Colorado on the final game of the regular season, the Winnipeg Jets enter this contest playing quite well, going 4-2-0 in April. That included a 3-1 victory in Minnesota on April 11, the second of back-to-back nights where the team earned victories. Winnipeg finished in the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference and is 20-20-1 on the road.
Winnipeg received some solid goaltending down the stretch, giving up 11 goals over the final six games. Connor Hellebuyck (37-25-2, 2.49, .920) allowed seven total goals over his last five appearances, including allowing one or zero goals in three of those games. He has allowed three or fewer goals in 14 straight contests. Winnipeg finished with a 2.98 goals-against average on the road with the penalty killing operating at 82.2%.
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! A goal on the PK! ?? pic.twitter.com/ypvsL1lCih
— x – Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) April 14, 2023
The team scored six goals twice in April but were held to eight total goals in the other four games. This is why it is not surprising that Winnipeg is averaging 3.00 goals per game over their last 10 contests and are averaging 2.80 goals per game on the road. Kyle Connor led the team with 80 points and Mark Scheifele had 42 goals to lead the club. The power play was 20.6% on the road.