The Winnipeg Jets will be looking to take a 2-0 series lead in their first-round clash with the Edmonton Oilers when they hit the ice on Friday night for Game 2 of the best-of-seven set as +140 road underdogs on the NHL odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Winnipeg drew first blood in the series with a decisive 4-1 victory, marking their first win in seven meetings with Edmonton going into Friday night's matchup at Rogers Place.
After seizing home-ice advantage with Wednesday's Game 1 victory, the Jets have made a leap on the NHL playoff series prices, where they are now set as -130 favourites. The challenge now for Winnipeg will be to maintain the momentum gained from their series-opening win while continuing the stingy play that proved so effective on Wednesday night.
While Connor Hellebuyck flashed his Vezina-winning form in the Winnipeg net, the Jets effectively shut down the Oilers' biggest offensive threats in Game 1. Despite being outshot by a wide 33-20 margin, the Jets managed to limit Connor McDavid to just a single shot on goal while keeping the Oilers captain off the scoresheet.
More importantly, Winnipeg demonstrated character after surrendering the first goal of the game, quickly rebounding to even the score, and added three markers late in the third period. That marks a dramatic turnaround for the club, which tumbled into third place in the division standings while losing nine of 10 down the stretch before bouncing back to win their final two contests, both against opponents who had little for which to play.
Despite their rather disappointing performance in Game 1, the Oilers get set to return to action on Friday as -160 home favourites at sports betting sites. Now riding their first two-game losing streak since mid-March after dropping a 4-1 decision in their regular season finale against Vancouver, the Oilers face a big challenge to kickstart their offence.
Unlike Winnipeg, the Oilers enjoyed an impressive stretch run, winning 12 of their final 16 outings, and McDavid powered that surge by racking up 36 points in his final 14 appearances. However, the team has struggled badly when McDavid is not contributing, losing eight straight games when their captain is held off the scoresheet.
Elsewhere on the Friday odds board, the Boston Bruins host the Washington Capitals as -170 home chalk in Game 4 of their East Division series. As well, the Carolina Hurricanes will try to push the Nashville Predators to the brink as -140 road favourites in Game 3 of their matchup, while the Colorado Avalanche visit the overmatched St. Louis Blues as a strong -210 wager.
