The Winnipeg Jets will continue their long home stand, which began on Tuesday with a game against the Atlantic Division leaders, the Tampa Bay Lightning. They will surely be aiming for a second straight win, but the bookmakers do not agree.
Winnipeg Jets
Those expectations would have been justified a year ago, when they finished first in the regular season, but not now. They definitely will not reach the 30-win mark from the 2024/25 season, and the number of goals conceded last year (191) has almost been matched in just 60 games this season (186). The goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck, the winner of the last two Vezina Trophy awards, is clearly below last year’s level (90% versus 92.5% in save percentage), and the same applies to the whole team. Even at home things are not going well: in their last six home games they have only two wins and six points.
Tampa Bay Lightning
They are moving through this season ahead of their own pace from a year ago (1.36 points per game compared with 1.24), but first place in the Atlantic Division, let alone in the Eastern Conference, is not guaranteed. The Buffalo Sabres have blossomed and are reeling off wins, while they themselves have lost three in a row, so the gap has shrunk to two points. Nikita Kucherov is still carrying the team, but his numbers have also dipped – only six points in his last five games. Something has gone wrong with Andrei Vasilevskiy as well: he has conceded nine goals across less than two full games with a 74.3% save percentage.
Winnipeg Jets vs Tampa Bay Lightning Prediction
Despite their poor run, we still have few doubts about them, although it is a reason to be cautious. We will refrain from picking a winner and instead back the over on the total goals – with such mediocre defences on both sides, it looks highly probable.
