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The Winnipeg Jets and Colorado Avalanche meet Friday in Game 3 of a best-of-7 Western Conference 1st-round series. Puck drop from Ball Arena is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET (TNT). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Jets vs. Avalanche odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
Playoff series: Tied 1-1
The Jets posted a wild 7-6 victory in Game 1, as Kyle Connor and Adam Lowry each scored 2 goals. Connor Hellebuyck was good for 40 saves on 46 shots to outlast the Avalanche.
In Game 2, the Avs beat Hellebuyck for 4 goals on 31 shots, as Colorado leveled the series with a 5-2 victory. The Over (6.5) barely cashed, but is 2-0 in this series, with an average of 10.0 combined goals per game.
The Avalanche had goals from Miles Wood, Artturi Lehkonen, Zach Parise, Josh Manson and Valeri Nichushkin, and some of those guys are unlikely sources of offense. Nichushkin and Wood have 2 goals and 4 points in the series, while Lehkonen is good for 2 goals and 6 points in the 2 games.
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Jets at Avalanche odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:57 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Jets +145 (bet $100 to win $145) | Avalanche -175 (bet $175 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Jets +1.5 (-175) | Avalanche -1.5 (+145)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Jets at Avalanche projected goalies
Connor Hellebuyck (37-19-4, 2.39 GAA, .921 SV%, 5 SO – regular season) vs. Alexander Georgiev (38-18-5, 3.02 GAA, .897 SV%, 2 SO – regular season)
Hellebuyck has some ugly numbers in this series, going 1-1-0 with a 5.04 GAA and .870% in the 2 games in Winnipeg. We expected this to be a high-scoring series, but this has been ridiculous. Still, it’s unlikely that we’ll see the backup Laurent Brossoit barring an injury.
Georgiev was tagged for 7 goals on just 23 shots in Game 1, but he was much better in Game 2, limiting Winnipeg to only 2 goals on 30 shots in the win. Still, he is 1-1-0 with an unseemly 4.63 GAA and .830 SV%, but there is little chance we’ll see the backup Justus Annunen, especially since he hasn’t been quite 100 percent healthy lately.
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Jets at Avalanche picks and predictions
Prediction
Avalanche 4, Jets 3
Moneyline
The AVALANCHE (-175) is worth playing, although this is a little pricey given the high-octane offenses on both sides. The 1st 2 games showed us that we’re going to have a lot of wide-open hockey with very little defense, and no lead is safe.
The Jets (+145) are a tempting play as moderate underdogs, but Georgiev, Cale Makar and the rest of the Avs tossed a blanket on Winnipeg defensively, making the proper adjustments after Game 1, so be careful there.
Puck line/Against the spread
The Jets +1.5 (-275) would set you back nearly 3 times your potential return, if you’re searching for a little insurance, and just can’t back Winnipeg straight up. That’s not a recommended betting strategy, as the reward is just so little with a ton of risk.
AVOID.
Over/Under
OVER 6.5 (-110) is a good play, and it has been an ace in this series so far. We’ll see if the change of venue makes a difference, as things shift to the Mile High City. It’s unlikely to mean a slow down in offense, though.
Colorado has cashed the Over in 8 of the past 9 games since April 4, scoring 3.89 goals per game (GPG) in those 9 contests, while allowing 4.5 GPG (36 goals) in the past 8 outings.
The Jets have cashed the Over in 5 in a row, too, going for 4 or more goals in 4 of those games. Go high, until the defenses actually show up.
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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