Oilers-Jets prediction, odds, pick, how to watch

Let's make a prediction for this Western Canadian matchup as the Edmonton Oilers travel to Manitoba to take on the Winnipeg Jets.

Let's look at a Western Conference matchup as the Edmonton Oilers take on the Winnipeg Jets. It is time to continue our NHL odds series with an Oilers-Jets prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.

How did the Oilers get in this position? They were amongst the betting favorites to win the Stanley Cup in the preseason. However, they are now facing an uphill battle to make the playoffs. At one point, they were in last place in the league's standings. Since firing their coach, Jay Woodcroft, the Oilers are 5-3-0 and are in the middle of a three-game winning streak. It will be their longest winning streak if they can beat the Jets tonight. Connor McDavid was one of their biggest concerns, as a possibly lingering injury affected his ability to carry the offense. In his last five games, McDavid has four goals and 11 assists. If McDavid and the Oilers continue this run, the Oilers may still have a chance to sneak into the playoffs and make some noise.

One of the Oilers' kryptonites is the Winnipeg Jets. The Jets beat the Oilers on October 21st, which kickstarted an 11-2-2 stretch for the Jets that saw them vault to the top of the Central division standings. The Jets have lost the last two games but are yet to lose three in a row this season. A big part of their stretch of dominance is the play of Connor Hellebuyck, who has a 1.50 goals-against average and .948 save percentage in his last four starts. Mark Scheifele is known for dominating the Oilers and has goals in three straight games against their Alberta rivals.

Here are the NHL Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NHL Odds: Oilers-Jets Odds

Edmonton Oilers: -1.5 (+198) ML (-118)

Winnipeg Jets: +1.5 (-245) ML (-102)

Over: 6.5 (-114)

Under: 6.5 (-106)

How to Watch Oilers vs. Jets

Time: 8 PM ET/5 PM PT

TV: Sportsnet

Why The Oilers Will Cover The Spread/Win

The Oilers struggled all season because Connor McDavid was failing to carry the team to victories. We know that this is a difficult thing to trust in the playoffs, but we have seen him do it plenty of times for the Oilers in the regular season. Is this the start of Connor McDavid's legendary Hart Trophy run where he brings the Oilers back from the brink of imploding and carries them to the playoffs? He has 15 points in his last five games, and the offense runs through him every night. The sad truth for the Oilers is that if he doesn't get two or three points, they probably aren't winning the game.

There may be no other player in the league who you can bet on their team assuming that he will get two or three points in the game. However, who would be surprised if McDavid gets four points tonight and the Oilers squeak out a 4-3 win? This line of thinking may not be profitable in the long run, but when McDavid gets on a heater, it's difficult to bet against him.

Why The Jets Will Cover The Spread/Win

For some reason, the Jets have been able to dominate the Oilers. They aren't known for their defensive prowess but find a way to outscore Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The Jets have won four of their last five games on home ice against the Oilers. The scary thing about backing the Oilers in this matchup is how they have failed to show up in big spots this season. Every time the hype around a matchup for them is that this is the game they can turn their season around, they lay an egg and restart the questions about their outlook for this season. It would have been better for the Oilers if the Jets were still on their roll heading into this game, but the Jets losing two in a row will add an extra layer of motivation for them.

The Jets offense scores 3.38 goals per game, which will scare the Oilers, who have yet to fix their goaltending. Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele lead the team, and Scheifele always shows up against the Oilers. The self-proclaimed hockey nerd doesn't want his name to be forgotten amongst the list of best centers in Canada. He accepts the challenge to outduel Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl nightly.

The Jets' defense may be up to the challenge as well. They are allowing only 2.86 goals per game. Josh Morrissey and Dylan DeMelo are locking down opposing teams' top lines, and Neal Pionk, Dylan Samberg, and Brenden Dillon are playing above average. When players get past the Jets' defense, Connor Hellebuyck is starting to return to Vezina form.

Final Oilers-Jets Prediction & Pick

If you had the hindsight to fade the Oilers at the start of the season, you would have made a pile of money. The Oilers continue to be favorites in matchups and have lost a lot. The oddsmakers see some good games from the Oilers and forget how bad they can look. The Jets were 11-2-2 before their recent two-game slide, and are now returning home to take on a team they have dominated over the past couple of seasons. The Oilers have burned bettors too much this season, and you can't let them do it again here. The Oilers may have figured it out, but there's no reason they should be favored over the Jets in this matchup.

Final Oilers-Jets Prediction & Pick: Jets ML (-102)