Jets vs Flames NHL Line & Handicapping
Jets Look to Make a Genius Put of New Coach – Travel to Calgary Thursday Night
It took something drastic to wake the Winnipeg Jets up and that came in the form of a firing. One day after replacing Coach Claude Noel with Paul Maurice, the Jets finally showed up, played a complete game and beat the Phoenix Coyotes to snap an ugly five game losing streak. On Thursday night the Jets will be tasked with travelling to Calgary to take on a Flames team that has their own issues losing six straight in regulation on home ice getting outscored 17-2 over that span.
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Winnipeg (20-23-5) at Calgary (16-25-6)
When: 9:00 PM ET, Thursday, January 16, 2014
Where: Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta
Broadcast: TSN-JETS, SNET-W, SNET-CGY
Jets vs. Flames Betting Lines
Winnipeg Jets +1½ -310 +100 Ov 5½ +110
Calgary Flames -1½ +260 -110 Un 5½ -121
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The Winnipeg Jets enter Thursday night`s game an unacceptable 10 points out of a playoff spot with nothing except for a new coach and a win last time out going for it. They have lost three straight games on the road and have never won in Calgary going 0-6-0 while getting outscored 26-11 in those games.
Goaltender Ondrej Pavelec secured his first win Monday after an ugly 0-5-0 stretch in which his goals against was 4.72. On the season the Jets have allowed 2.96 goals per game – something that Paul Maurice hopes to shore up with his no-nonsense approach.
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The Jets have been OK offensively but their defensive play has them staring way up at a playoff spot. Dustin Byfuglien has three goals and eight points in six games and rookie forward Eric O’Dell scored his first NHL goal Saturday and has goals in back-to-back games for the Jets. The Jets will need more from their leaders – Andrew Ladd has just one point in his last six games and is just one of many on the Jets Not Hot List.
The Calgary Flames have been and continue to look like one of, if not the worst team in the NHL. They enter Thursday`s game having lost eight of their last 10 games – getting shut out five times over that span! Six straight home losses doesn`t offer up a whole lot of hope for the legion of Flames fans.
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Defensively the Flames continue to flounder near the bottom of the NHL allowing 3.11 goals per game. Goaltender Reto Berra is 0-3-0 with a 3.75 GAA and .855 save percentage in his last three games and Kari Ramo is 8-9-3 on the season with a 2.80 GAA and .903 save percentage. If you can`t keep the puck out of your own net, winning is nearly impossible…
Especially when the offense isn`t doing its part. Calgary is near the bottom of the league offensively as well averaging 2.17 goals per game – not good. Juri Hudler is about all worth mentioning offensively for the Flames – he has four assists in three games.
Dave’s FREE NHL Betting Prediction
A few trends to consider:
• WIN are 2-6 in their last 8 games following a win.
• Under is 11-1 in CAL last 12 home games.
• CAL are 1-9 in their last 10 Thu. games.
• CAL are 3-12 in their last 15 overall.
• Home team is 11-2-1 in the last 14 meetings.
Flames forward Curtis Glencross (ankle), forward Blair Jones (torn meniscus) and defenseman Kris Russell (knee) are on IR. Forwards Mike Cammalleri (concussion) and David Jones (eye infection) did not play Tuesday and are questionable to play Thursday – ominous for the Flames.
Look for a new-found sense of optimism and accountability to rein supreme Thursday as the Jets pick up their first ever win in Calgary. I hesitate to recommend either of these teams but when pitted against each other, the Jets are by far the better team.
Pick: Winnipeg Jets +100
