Lightning vs. Jets Friday Prediction
The Lightning will visit the Jets on Friday night at 8:00 p.m. ET and the host are an underdog. When it comes to the betting value of this matchup, which way should bettors lean?
Game Snapshot
057 Tampa Bay Lightning (-145) at 058 Winnipeg Jets (+125); o/u 6
8:00 p.m. ET, Friday, January 17, 2020
Bell MTS Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Public Betting
According to our NHL Public Betting Chart page, 54% of betting tickets are on the Jets to win, which is interesting because Winnipeg is an underdog tonight. Public bettors don’t often side with moneyline underdogs.
Tampa Bay Lightning Fantasy Spin
Curtis McElhinney was beat three times on 23 shots on Thursday night, resulting in a 3-2 loss against the Wild. It was a below-average night for the Lightning backup who allowed a powerplay goal in the first period and then two goals on 11 shots in the middle frame. The third period was relatively quiet as McElhinney faced only four shots while Tampa tried to erase a 3-1 deficit, but could only attain half the objective. The loss pushes the journeyman goaltender’s record below .500 to 5-6-2, while he owns a 3.10 goals-against average and .902 save percentage.
Winnipeg Jets Fantasy Spin
Connor Hellebuyck turned aside all 41 shots he faced in Tuesday’s 4-0 win against the Vancouver Canucks. Hellebuyck recorded his 18th career shutout to take sole possession of the franchise lead in the category. The 26-year-old Michigander improved to 21-13-4 with a 2.57 goals-against average and .923 save percentage across his 39 performance this season. Hellebuyck is a major reason the Jets are right in the mix in the Central Division. He’ll likely be back between the pipes for Friday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Betting Trends
Tampa Bay
The Lightning are 89-42 in their last 131 games overall and are 35-17 in their last 52 games as a road favorite.
Winnipeg
The Jets are 1-6 in their last seven home games and are 0-5 in their last five games when listed as a home underdog.
Prediction
The home team is 4-1 in the last five meetings between these two teams and the underdog is 5-2 in the last seven meetings, but as noted above – the Jets have struggled as a home dog. Thus, I’m going to pass on the side and present the over. IN the last 11 meetings between these two teams in Winnipeg, the over is 8-3. In the last nine meetings over, the over is 6-2-1. The over is also 5-2 in the Lightning last seven games versus Western Conference opponents, is 6-0 in the Jets’ last six games following a win and is 23-9-1 in Winnipeg’s last 33 games versus Eastern Conference foes.
FRIDAY NHL PREDICTION: LIGHTNING/JETS OVER 6