Take Jets in Return to Winnipeg

Golden Knights vs. Jets, 4:08 ET

I don't know how long beginner's luck lasts, or if it is just that I am locked into the NHL this season, or really what it is. Whatever it is, I hope that it continues as I have been able to start the NHL playoffs at 5-0 and even the regular season was very good to me with one stretch of being something like 15-2. I don't expect to go perfect but is nice when it happens.

The Golden Knights burst onto the hockey scene a few years ago and instantly had success. I remember stories about how Vegas (the books) would be in real trouble if they won the Stanley Cup. By real trouble, let's be honest, they'd be fine, but it would be a big hit to them. In the grand scheme of things it probably would've equated to being the same as me losing $100 or something. In any case, they didn't win but they are now have lost home ice advantage and are looking to regain it. They will probably use Laurent Brossoit once again who has started the last two games. In the first one, he looked terrible, a 5-1 loss. In the second game, he was much more sharp and the defense was able to help him out a bit more in that game.

The Jets are a team that likes to play at home. On the season they have a 26-13-2 record on their home ice, and on the road, they were just 20-20-1. Still, as I mentioned, they only need to take one game from the Knights, and they did just that in the first game. The Knights are a very good road team with just seven regulation losses and eight overtime losses, so you can't just assume they will lie down for Winnipeg. I'm curious to see how the Jets play in front of their home crowd, I do think it is a factor for them, but will it be enough to rattle Las Vegas? I assume Connor Hellebuyck will be in the net again. In Game 1 the Jets defense was ridiculously good and he only faced 17 shots all game. Then in the next game, it was like night and day. He had to face 39 attempts and allowed five to go in the net.

This is a game that I think the Jets take. They come home, get their crowd behind them and ultimately I think that doesn't rattle Vegas, but I think that momentum of all of those shots on net probably fades away a bit here. I'm going to back Winnipeg in this one and hope that they can take down the first one on their home ice. I'll be happy to back Vegas in the next one if that happens. Back the Jets at -110

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