Welcome to NHL Predictions! We have three playoff games on the schedule for this Wednesday. Two of the three are elimination games in the Eastern Conference. The other, however, is a tie-breaking Game 5 in the Western Conference. The St. Louis Blues visit the Winnipeg Jets. One team heads back to St. Louis with a 3-2 series lead and a chance to advance to the second round.
NHL Predictions
St. Louis Blues Vs. Winnipeg Jets
Time: 9:30 P.M. EST
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Midwest, ESPN
Playoff Series: Tied 2-2
This time last week, many wondered if this series would even make it back to Winnipeg, much less tied. The Jets opened the series with back-to-back wins, putting the Blues in a tough spot. The series moved to St. Louis, where fortunes changed for both teams. The Blues won Games 3 and 4 to tie the series, outscoring the Jets 12-23. Furthermore, the Blues chased Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck in the third period of both games.
The only other meeting between the Blues and Jets in the playoffs was in 2019. Like this year, the series was tied 2-2 heading into Game 5 in Winnipeg. After erasing a 2-0 deficit, the Blues won the game on a goal by Jaden Schwartz with 15 seconds left in regulation.
Blues Seeking Series’s First Road Win
There is a saying in professional sports that a playoff series does not truly start until a team wins on the road. The origin of this saying is unknown, although searching the quote on Google will take you to a quote by Draymond Green in 2022. Regardless of the origin, this saying may hold in this series. Through four games, the road team has yet to win once. This contrasts the 2019 series, where the home team only won once (the clincher in Game 6).
For the Blues, a win on the road in Game 5 would allow them to return home, where they have won 14 in a row since late February, with a chance to win the series. The formula to win is simple. Do the same thing that was done in Games 3 and 4. The Blues have been scoring on the power play, establishing a net-front presence in front of Hellebuyck, have played a full 60 minutes, and have gotten scoring from their entire lineup.
Jets Seeking to End Unique Streak
During the Western Conference Qualifying Round of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, an interesting streak started for the Jets. Starting with Game 3 of that series, the Jets have failed to win a playoff game following a loss. In that series, the Jets lost Game 3, then Game 4, and were eliminated. In 2021, after sweeping the opening series, the Jets lost the first game of the second round and the next three. Then, in 2023, well, you guessed it. The Jets won Game 1 but then lost four to the eventual Stanley Cup Champions. 2024 was more of the same. That is 13 losses in games following a loss in the playoffs.
The Jets will look to snap that odd streak Wednesday, and they may have some help. Forward Gabriel Vilardi, who has been out since March 23rd, will return to the lineup for Game 5. The Ontario native scored a career-high 27 goals this season, including a team-high 12 power-play goals. His return will give the Jets a boost on offence. Aside from Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele, the Jets have had trouble scoring in this series.
Prediction
The Blues are doing more than simply beating the Jets. They have been dominating the Jets. This string of losses for the Jets combined with Hellebuyck’s poor play have led some to wonder if the Jets playoff demons are alive and well. In addition, the Blues were not expected to even be in the playoffs at the beginning of the season. The Jets won the President’s Trophy this season. Who has more pressure to win? The Jets by a long shot.
If the Jets can shake off the last two games and perform better, we will consider picking them in Game 6. Until then, we are rolling with the Blues.
Blues win, 5-2.
Prop Bets
The over/under is set at 5.5 goals. We are taking the over with seven goals combined.
For prop bets, we are picking Connor to score again for the Jets. The forward has three goals in the series. For the Blues, we are picking Robert Thomas to score.
Main Photo: Jeff Le- Imagn Images
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The post NHL Predictions: Game 5 St. Louis Blues Vs. Winnipeg Jets appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.