Jets vs. Blues prediction: our best bet for Monday’s lone NHL contest

Only one game fills out the NHL schedule on Monday and we’re set to provide a Jets vs. Blues prediction and best bet.

Neither side enters this game in the best form and both will be in search of a win to end a losing streak. Winnipeg, second in the Central Division, has lost three games in a row and has only two wins in their past seven.

St. Louis, meanwhile, has lost four consecutive games and has only four wins across their past 10 games.

The Jets are a -225 home favorite Monday with the Blues +185 on the moneyline. As for the total, it’s set at six goals with -110 juice on each side.

Winnipeg Jets Puck Line (-1.5, +110)

Up until an embarrassing 4-0 loss at home against the Flyers Saturday night, this Jets team proved quite capable of earning results against weaker opposition, particularly at home.

Including a 4-0 drubbing of the Blues back in October, the Jets have won nine of 11 games this season at home against sides with a regulation point percentage below .500. Before that loss to the Flyers, Winnipeg had won five in a row against such opposition.

Perhaps more crucially is the fact the Jets were regularly getting margin in those games. Just consider the nine wins and bettors will find the Jets covered the puck line in six games, including all but two that failed to reach overtime.

That record is largely a function of Winnipeg’s outstanding defense, which unsurprisingly sees an uptick in form against weaker sides. Across all 11 games, the Jets allowed only two goals per game, down from their season average of 2.65 goals per contest.

Their offense sees a boost as well as they go from a season average of 3.18 goals per game to 3.45 goals per game in that 11-game sample.

Now, they get to face a Blues defense that is quite bad along with a goaltender, Jordan Binnington, who has a save percentage below .900 for the season. Additionally, St. Louis has really struggled to contain opposing offenses away from home of late.

In their past 10 road contests, the Blues have allowed six opponents to score at least four times, including five of their past seven.

What’s even more concerning is that two of their past four opponents — the Canadiens and Coyotes, who are last and second-to-last in their respective divisions — scored a combined 10 goals against the Blues.

If that trend continues, I don’t know how the Blues will stay within striking distance. Plus, in two meetings against the Jets this season, the Blues have scored only two combined goals.

For those reasons, I’ll back the Jets to cover this line and end their losing streak so long as it remains available at +100 or better.