Winnipeg Jets (46-33-3) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (51-22-9)
The first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup goes on Thursday, April 20, with the Western Conference showdown from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, so we bring you the best Jets vs. Golden Knights betting pick and odds.
Winnipeg stunned Vegas in Game 1, grabbing a 5-1 victory as a +135 road underdog. The Golden Knights open as -143 moneyline favorites for Game 2, while the totals sit at 5.5 goals. The puck drop is set for 10:00 PM ET, so let’s take a closer look.
The Winnipeg Jets outshot the Vegas Golden Knights 31-17 this past Tuesday. After a goalless first period, the Jets built a 2-0 lead in the second before finishing the job with three unanswered goals in the third. Adam Lowry found the back of the net twice, while Kyle Connor, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Blake Wheeler scored a goal apiece.
“A big part of our game is pressuring the puck carrier and not giving them a whole lot of time to make plays,” Winnipeg coach Rick Bowness said. “They're a very good team on the rush. They look for that second wave, so I thought our forwards did a great job back-tracking and taking away those guys.”
Adam Lowry says Go od Night ?? pic.twitter.com/e9lp4RKM0P
— x – Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) April 19, 2023
Connor Hellebuyck posted 16 saves last Tuesday. The 29-year-old netminder went 37-25-2 with a 2.49 GAA, .920 save percentage, and four shutouts this past regular season. The Jets ranked tenth in the league in goals against (2.73 per game), seventh in penalty-killing percentage (82.4%), 21st in goals for (3.00), and 23rd in power-play percentage (19.3%).