Thursday’s hockey faceoff between the Winnipeg Jets who are currently boasting an impressive 15-1-0 record, and the Tampa Bay Lightning who are spotting a 7-6-1 record will take place at the Amalie Arena. The game is slated to commence at 7 p.m. ET. The Winnipeg Jets are in an enviable position, leading the current season series 1-0 against the Lightning. The Jets are maintaining their momentum with no sign of diminishing speed or vigor.
The Jets recently triumphed over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden with a doubled score of 6-3. The Jets have an ongoing winning spree, having been victorious in their last seven games. Their only loss this season was against the Toronto Maple Leafs back on October 28th. In their past four games, they’ve displayed a strong defense, managing to record two shutouts.
The wagering trends reveal the underdog advantage was dominant in three out of the four recent games. On the other side of the turf, the Tampa Bay Lightning is gearing up with a strong resolve, fiercely determined to take revenge for their 7-4 loss on Manitoba’s home ground during their first meeting on November 3.
The first game between these two had an over-under line set at 6.5, and with a combined score of 11, the Over took the win. The Lightning started strong with two goals in the first eight minutes of the game scored by forwards Brandon Hagel and Brayden Point. However, it was the Jets who ultimately commanded the game starting from the 12:23 mark of the first period.
The Tampa Bay team is encountering a rough patch with an ongoing 0-3-1 skid, and are desperately searching for a win to snap out of it. Their last game was against the Philadelphia Flyers last Thursday, where they suffered a close 2-1 defeat. During their recent games, the Lightning offense has been slowed down, netting only three goals in total.
Looking at the projected goalkeepers for the game, the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck has been performing splendidly, boasting a 1.92 GAA, .934 SV%, and three shutouts in his record of 12-1-0. Contrarily, the Lightning’s main goalie, Andrei Vasilevskiy has a record of 6-5-1 with a 2.43 GAA, .910 SV%, and just one shutout.
Hellebuyck is currently leading the NHL in victories, and it’s not a close competition. His unbeatable form continues into November, contributing to his flawless 5-0-0 record with a 1.60 GAA and .948 SV%. Hellebuyck has also managed to secure two shutouts this month, the first of which came during their win against the Lightning on November 3.
During the Winnipeg team’s first faceoff with the Lightning, Hellebuyck allowed four goals from 30 shots, but the Jets still emerged victorious. On the other hand, for the first game, the Lightning put Jonas Johansson on the ice instead of Vasilevskiy. Johansson could not save the day and ended up allowing five goals on 32 shots.
Vasilevskiy has shown he deserved better in his last game, where he repelled 30 out of 31 shots. Still, it ended in a 2-1 shootout loss against the Flyers. The so-far disappointing November has seen Vasilevskiy with a record of 0-2-1 posing a GAA of 3.12 and a SV% of .905.
As the next match between the Winnipeg Jets and Tampa Bay Lightning approaches, here’s the projection: Jets may prevail again with an expected 3-2 score given their current winning streak and superior goalie performance. Interestingly, the Jets are priced at an even-money (+100) which is a curious decision from the books considering their hot form.
On the contrary, despite their recent poor run of four consecutive losses, the Tampa Bay Lightning are slightly favored with odds of -120, implying a greater than 50% chance of victory. Take note, during their first encounter, the Jets had emerged successful, and with their presently supercharged goalie, they are expected to repeat their victory.
Placing a bet on ‘Under 6 (+100)’, could be a winning play considering the match features two highly competent goaltenders. There is a trend to consider as well, the accentuating low totals in the Lightning’s last two games and four out of seven in Jets’ recent games.
The trend suggests that the Lightning’s scoring has been low recently and is likely to continue, while the Jets’ total score has balanced between the over and the under, with the under having a slight edge in the last four games.
Analyzing all these elements, it appears both the Winnipeg Jets and Tampa Bay Lightning have their individual strengths and recent challenges to overcome. However, with the Winnipeg Jets’ present form and their remarkable goaltender performance, they seem to have a higher probability of pulling off another victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Remember, in hockey, and sports in general, the outcome is unpredictable and could swing, defying all odds and past patterns. That’s the exhilarating rush of the game. But given the current stats, it looks like the Jets have the upper hand for this faceoff.
In the end, it’s not just about the odds or the past wins. It’s the passion, the strategy, and the delivery on the ice that counts. May the best team win in this awaited clash between the Winnipeg Jets and Tampa Bay Lightning.