Adam Williams presents his prediction for the NHL match.
The Winnipeg Jets, despite slowing down somewhat in recent months, remain atop the Western Conference. For the first time in their history, they are travelling to the state of Utah.
Utah Hockey Club
A victory would be a surprise, as the Utah Hockey Club have only won three of their last ten home games. Their distance from the playoff battle is becoming increasingly apparent. Seventh-placed Nashville in the Central Division are still a distant six points away, but the second wildcard spot is already six points ahead too. The new franchise doesn’t boast a strong offence (ranked 24th, with 2.82 goals per game), and against the Jets, they'll face Connor Hellebuyck—the best in the league both for goals against (1.97) and save percentage (92.9%).
Winnipeg Jets
But what did they expect? After all, Hellebuyck is the reigning Vezina Trophy holder and one of the main contenders for the award again. Not allowing more than 28 goals is not something everyone can manage. It's not the system, it's Hellebuyck himself: his backup, Eric Comrie, has allowed 3.3 more goals than expected. Naturally, the league’s second-ranked team should also be strong offensively. The Jets are third in scoring (3.51 per game), led by top point scorers Kyle Connor (26+34) and Mark Scheifele (27+26), who rank among the top 11 in points and top 6 in goals. Both have shooting percentages over 15%, with Scheifele boasting the second-best in the NHL at 24.3%.
Utah Hockey Club vs Winnipeg Jets Prediction
For the Utah Hockey Club, who concede an average of three goals per game, such accuracy poses a significant challenge. And given that the team, now known as Utah, previously endured a 10-game losing streak under the Arizona Coyotes franchise, aside from their lone defeat by the Winnipeg Jets (0:3), the only outcome that comes to mind is a victory for the Canadian club.
