Let’s dive into two best NHL bets for the five-game slate on Sunday, and be sure to check out the OddsShopper tool for more best bets and odds. In this post we’ll focus on our best Ducks-Jets prediction. We’ll also make our best Wild-Stars prediction.
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Wild-Stars prediction: Over 6 (-115, DraftKings)
To kick off Sunday’s slate, there is a Central Division tilt with the first-place Dallas Stars hosting the fourth-place Minnesota Wild. There have now been six or more total goals scored in each of Minnesota’s last five games and in 12 of Dallas’ last 15, two trends that should continue in this matchup.
Slated to take the crease for the Wild is goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. The future Hall-of-Famer’s best days are likely behind him as he has produced a mere .898 SV% through 15 starts this season.
Fleury enters this matchup in particularly poor form, posting a .861 SV% over his last three starts. Among starting goaltenders, he ranks dead last in goals saved above expected per 60 minutes (GSAx/60) at 5v5.
While Minnesota’s offense has not been consistent this year, It still has plenty of firepower to give Fleury some goal support with the likes of Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello. Speaking of firepower, the Stars’ offense should give the Wild some problems as they rank in the top half of the league in expected goals for per 60 minutes (xGF/60) at 5v5.
Leading this offense is superstar Jason Robertson, who currently leads the league with a whopping 22 goals scored in 24 games. This total is only six because the Stars are expected to start Jake Oettinger in net, who is one of the best goaltenders in the league.
However, with the number of scoring options between these two teams, six goals should not be too difficult to come by.
Ducks-Jets prediction: Under 6 (-105, DraftKings)
The Central Division’s Winnipeg Jets host the Pacific Division’s Anaheim Ducks on Sunday afternoon. There have been six or fewer total goals scored in five of Anaheim’s last seven games and in 11 of Winnipeg’s last 15, two trends that should continue in this matchup.
These two clubs met earlier this season on November 17, a contest that saw the Jets win 3-2 in a low-scoring affair. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was brilliant in that game, allowing just two goals on 31 shots for a .935 SV%.
In fact, Winnipeg’s starting netminder has been terrific all year. Through 17 starts, Hellebuyck is 11-5-1 with a .931 SV% and 2.29 GAA. Among starting goaltenders, he ranks second in GSAx/60 at 5v5.
This excellent goaltending should continue against the Ducks, a team he has dominated throughout his career. Across 13 career starts against Anaheim, Hellebuyck is 10-2-1 with a .924 SV% and 2.29 GAA.
However, Hellebuyck may not get a ton of goal support as the Jets rank in the bottom half of the league in xGF/60 at 5v5. Meanwhile, the Ducks will also struggle mightily to score as they rank just 29th in the league in xGF/60 at 5v5.
Anaheim’s offense has been terrible all season, and going against one of the best goaltenders in the world is likely not a spot where they turn things around.
