7:07 pm
April 30

Jets @ Canadiens

Who will WIN this matchup?

Winnipeg Jets (27-19-3)

@ Montreal Canadiens (21-18-9)

 

Starting Goalies:

Connor Hellebuyck (WPG): Confirmed

Jake Allen (MON):  Likely

 

Current odds:

Winnipeg Jets: (-105)

Montreal Canadiens: (-115)

 

With a six-point lead in the chase for the final playoff position in the North Division, the Montreal Canadiens remain in control of their fate. However, having dropped three of four games and in a 4-9-0 swoon, Montreal’s hold on a playoff position is precarious going into Friday’s home game against the Winnipeg Jets.

The Canadiens (21-18-9, 51 points) lost 4-1 at home to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday to kick off a four-game homestand, and they are feeling the tension of watching their lead on the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks dissipate.

Both the Canadiens and Flames have eight games remaining. The Canucks are 16 points behind the Jets, but they have 13 games remaining.

Montreal’s clash against the Jets for the ninth and final time this season is a case of two struggling clubs looking to find their form. The Jets (27-19-3, 57 points) are on a season worst five-game losing streak that’s watched them fall to third spot in the division.

The latest loss to Toronto encapsulated Montreal’s woes of late: The Canadiens are not playing with enough consistency and it’s costing them.

Winnipeg has won six of eight meetings this season — three in overtime.

The Jets lost a 3-1 home game to the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday to end a dreadful homestand in which they lost every game in regulation time and were outscored 21-6. That said, their most recent loss was a better performance than the previous few.

With his team’s next victory, coach Paul Maurice will become just the third coach in NHL history to win 300 games for two organizations. He also reached that mark while guiding the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes. Only Scotty Bowman (Montreal and Detroit) and Joel Quenneville (St. Louis and Chicago) have accomplished that feat. That milestone, however, is a small item amidst a losing skid.

4/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Montreal Canadiens