Welcome back to NHL Predictions, April 17th edition! Each day, the Last Word On Hockey team will break down every game and give our NHL predictions for each. This is the final set of games featuring the Edmonton Oilers vs Winnipeg Jets. Be sure and check out the early NHL Predictions for today, too.
NHL Predictions Featuring Edmonton Oilers vs Winnipeg Jets
San Jose Sharks vs Minnesota Wild
Head-to-Head: Sharks 3 – 3 Wild
The San Jose Sharks enter this one now six points back of the West divisions fourth spot, St. Louis Blues. Minnesota Wild sits 11 points ahead of the fourth-placed team chasing Vegas Golden Knights. Tonight’s matchup versus the Minnesota Wild will be the seventh out of eight meetings this season between the two. San Jose has been victorious in two of the previous three matches between the teams. The Sharks forward Evander Kane leads his team with 17 goals and 35 points. On the other side of the ice, Kirill Kaprizov leads the Wild with 16 goals and 35 points. Look for Kaapo Kahkonen to start in the crease. The 24-year-old has 12 wins on the season with a .909 save percentage.
Prediction: Wild Win: 3-1
Columbus Blue Jackets vs Dallas Stars
Head-to-Head: Jackets 3 – 4 Stars
In the Central division, the Columbus Blue Jackets will try to square up the season series in a battle with Dallas Stars. Columbus dropped their recent meeting with Dallas with a score of 4-1. That would be the Jacket’s fourth straight loss. The Blue Jackets struggled to find any offence in the last meeting against Dallas and got outshot 31-18. Joonas Korpisalo will likely get the nod this evening for the Blue Jackets. Dallas trails five points out of a playoff spot and needs to string wins together now, or they will not catch Nashville Predators.
Prediction: Stars Win: 4-0
Edmonton Oilers vs Winnipeg Jets
Head-to-Head: Oilers 4 – 2 Jets
Our featured game this evening will see a great battle between two of the top three North teams. The Edmonton Oilers are third in the North with 52 points and own a 12-7-2 away record. Hosting the Oilers for their short quick stop in the East is the Winnipeg Jets. Winnipeg sits second in the North with 57 points and a home record of 11-6-2. Only two more meetings remain between the teams during the season, and it makes you wonder if this could be an early preview of what’s to come in the playoffs?
The Edmonton Oilers have had a week off to rest and focus. Edmonton ranks 11th in the NHL for goals scored with 134, 10 less than Winnipeg. Connor McDavid leads the Oilers with 23 goals, 46 assists and 69 points in 42 games played.
The Jets have earned themselves a winning streak after an impressing 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, where Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele tallied three points each. Kyle Connor leads the Jets in goals scored with 21 and, Mark Scheifele leads the team with 52 points.
Injuries: Edmonton Oilers will be without Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Alex Chiasson and Slater Koekkoek. Winnipeg will still not Blake Wheeler, Nathan Beaulieu and Bryan Little.
Prediction: Oilers Win: 5-4
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
