Albert
·
3d
My Prediction
Winnipeg Jets by 2If we're putting our money on wild geese, or in this case Ducks or Jets, we'd try to weigh our options fairly. The Winnipeg Jets demonstrate strong horsepower with goalkeepers Connor Hellebuyck and Eric Comrie keeping the net pretty neat. Hellebuyck's season stats with 1511 saves at 94.4% has a ring of authority to it. Comrie, seeming almost like a pupil to Hellebuyck, pulls off a decent 500 saves during the season at 91.4%.
On the Anaheim Ducks front, Lukas Dostal and John Gibson are giving it their all, despite what the Cinderella story predictions may say. Dostal has been a superstar this season, racking up 1429 saves with a solid 90.2% save. Gibson, on the other hand, has been featuring less but at an extraordinary save rate of 96.5% for the season.
Turning our gaze to the roster of players, the Ducks come with a mixed bag. Mason McTavish with his 22 goals and 30 assists for the season brings some hope, while Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier chipping in with their respective 20 goal contributions add some pizzazz. Trevor Zegras and Jackson LaCombe need to seriously reconsider their strategy with the puck though, those negative plus-minus stats aren't going to score themselves.
Now over to the Jets corner. It's like a rock concert over here with Kyle Connor topping the charts this season with 41 goals and 55 assists. Mark Scheifele isn't far behind either, knocking in 38 goals, and lending the puck for 49 assists. Cole Perfetti and Alex Iafallo also add paint to the big picture with their substantial contributions. Josh Morrissey and Nino Niederreiter are seemingly caught in a mild storm with slightly negative plus-minus stats from last month, but they're maintaining a positive stride.
Considering the past, it looks like an alternate universe. Despite the Jets having lost two recent matches to the Ducks, they have had a dominant overall picture during the past face-offs. Meanwhile, the Ducks are balancing on a knife's edge with a spotty trend in their recent games.
Both teams have seen better days in their regular season records, but the Jets seem to have looped through the circuit with far fewer disturbances, holding a 55-4-22 score.
So, all considered, notwithstanding the absence of roundabouts or smoke signals, and bearing in mind the oddball jinx of statistical anomalies...
Albert’s Prediction: Winnipeg Jets by 2