Colorado Avalanche at Winnipeg Jets Game 5 odds, picks and predictions
Apr 28, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche right wing Valeri Nichushkin (13) celebrates hat trick during the third period against the Winnipeg Jets in game four of the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
The Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets meet in Game 5 of a best-of-7 Western Conference, 1st-round series Tuesday. The Avalanche lead the series 3-1. Puck drop from Canada Life Centre is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN). Below, we analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the Avalanche vs. Jets odds and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
After falling 7-6 in Game 1 of this series, Colorado has outscored the Jets 16-5 over its 3 consecutive wins.
RW Valeri Nichushkin has found the back of the net in all 4 games this series, including his 1st career hat trick in Game 4, and leads the team in postseason goals (6). LW Artturi Lehkonen also has goals in every game, and his 7 points are tied with C Nathan MacKinnon for 2nd-most this postseason, with D Cale Makar leading the way with 8.
Only the LA Kings (8) have allowed more power-play goals than Winnipeg (6) this postseason.
Jets coach Rick Bowness told reporters Tuesday that issues with discipline have taken them out of games. The 69-year-old, who became the oldest coach to win a Stanley Cup playoff game this season, also lamented that Colorado is getting too many chances off the rush due to his team’s puck management issues.
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Avalanche at Jets odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:20 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Avalanche -115 (bet $115 to win $100) | Jets -104 (bet $104 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Avalanche -1.5 (+210) | Jets +1.5 (-260)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
Avalanche at Jets projected goalies
Alexandar Georgiev (6-6, 2.70 GAA, .907 SV% in 11 career playoff games) vs. Connor Hellebuyck (18-26, 2.80 GAA, .912 SV%, 3 SO in 44 career playoff games)
Georgiev played the most minutes in the league (3637) during the regular season, with Hellebuyck wrapping up with the 3rd-most (3567). Since surrendering 7 goals in Game 1, the 28-year-old has settled in, as he’s won 3 straight starts, sporting a .938 SV% during that stretch.
Hellebuyck will probably win the Vezina Trophy after finishing the regular season with the 2nd-most saves (1656) and best GAA (2.39) among goaltenders with mininimum 50 games played. However, his last 2 postseasons have not been good statically. The 30-year-old is 2-7 vs. the Vegas Golden Knights and Avalanche, sporting a sub-.880 SV% in 9 starts.
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Avalanche at Jets picks and predictions
Prediction
Avalanche 4, Jets
Moneyline
BET AVALANCHE (-115).
MacKinnon has the 2nd-shortest odds to win the Conn Smythe Trophy (+1200 at FanDuel Sportsbook) and has double-digit point outputs in 3 of the 4 games this series, as does RW Mikko Rantanen.
The addition of LW Zach Parise this season has bolstered this team’s playoff pedigree, and Makar and D Devon Toews make such a strong top defenseman pairing. Expect Colorado to stay focused and wrap up this series.
Puck line/Against the spread
PASS.
Way too much juice to back Winnipeg +1.5 (-260). With the end of the season upon the horizon, there is the possibility Bowness desperately pulls Hellebuyck with a lot of time left, which can lead to 1 or more empty-net goals.
Over/Under
BET OVER 6.5 (-115).
Only Nashville Predators D Roman Josi (22) has more regular-season goals among defensemen than Makar (21), who won the Conn Smythe Trophy back in 2022. Colorado is an offensive juggernaut and could end up chasing Hellebuyck early, just like in Game 4 when G Laurent Brossoit finished.
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This article originally appeared on USA Today Sportsbookwire: Colorado Avalanche at Winnipeg Jets Game 5 odds, picks and predictions