The opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs has reached its final contest, with the second-round matchups largely decided. The Winnipeg Jets, who finished the regular season with the best record in the league, are set to host the St. Louis Blues in a decisive Game 7. The team that emerges victorious will go on to face the Dallas Stars later in the week.
Here is what you need to know about this Sunday`s pivotal Game 7 clash between St. Louis and Winnipeg, including predictions from the SportsLine model, insights into player statistics, and expert analysis.
St. Louis Blues vs. Winnipeg Jets Matchup Details
Throughout this series, the home team has held a perfect record, winning all six games played so far. This trend could significantly favor the Jets playing on their home ice in Game 7. Both teams have displayed a notable difference in performance when playing at home compared to on the road. The Blues have scored 17 goals while in St. Louis but fewer in Winnipeg. Conversely, the Jets have scored only five goals across their three road games but managed 12 when playing at home. Winnipeg`s goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck, a leading candidate for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league`s MVP, has also been considerably more effective when playing in Winnipeg compared to St. Louis, where he allowed 16 goals.
The Jets are aiming to become the first team since the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks to capture both the Presidents` Trophy and the Stanley Cup in the same season. However, they also face the risk of becoming the third Presidents` Trophy winner since the 2018-19 season to be eliminated in the first round.
For St. Louis, Cam Fowler leads all skaters in the series with 10 points. For the Jets, Kyle Connor is their points leader with nine, having recorded four goals and five assists. The SportsLine Projection Model provides a strong 4.5-star recommendation for betting the `Under` on Kyle Connor`s total points prop, which is set at 1.5, predicting he will score 0.5 points. The model also suggests betting the `Under` on Cam Fowler`s points prop, set at 0.5, rating this as a 4-star play.
Betting odds place the Jets as -177 favorites on the money line, according to SportsLine consensus figures, up from their opening line of -115. The Blues are listed as +147 underdogs for the road game. The total number of goals for the game is set at 5. The SportsLine model`s simulations indicate one team winning in 64% of scenarios. More detailed projections and expert betting picks, including those from SportsLine analysts Bruce Marshall and Matt Severance, are available exclusively on the SportsLine platform.
