Flames vs. Jets Odds
| Flames Odds | -160 |
| Jets Odds | +140 |
| Over/Under | 5.5 |
| Time | 10 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN+ |
| Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
The reeling Winnipeg Jets will face arguably the hottest team in the NHL when they trek to Calgary for a game against the Flames on Saturday.
Calgary has won four straight and is atop the Pacific Division standings, leading its provincial rival Edmonton by a point.
Winnipeg has lost five straight, including the past four in regulation, and was shellacked by the Minnesota Wild 7-1 on Friday.
Flames Have Been Red Hot
The Flames will enter their game Saturday well rested after not playing since their 5-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. Calgary showed no ill effects in its first home game in two weeks, outscoring Chicago 3-0 in the third period to improve to 6-2-4 in November.
Calgary has been paced offensively by the red-hot Andrew Mangiapane, who is tied for third in the NHL with 15 goals. Mangiapane has eight goals in Calgary's past nine games and is just three goals shy of his career high, which he set last season.
The Flames boast the NHL's best goal differential (plus-30) and aside from Mangiapane have been carried by their elite goaltending. Starter Jacob Markstrom leads all qualifying goalies in 5-on-5 save percentage (.956) and trails only Toronto's Jack Campbell and teammate Dan Vladar in save percentage in all situations (.940), according to Natural Stat Trick. Expect Markstrom to get the start Saturday.
Jets Continue to Flounder on the Road
Not only have the Jets lost seven of their past 10, but they have been a dreadful road team in 2021-22. Winnipeg is 2-5-3 in nine road games this season and has been outscored 35-21 in games away from Bell MTS Place. The Jets also have the third-worst shooting percentage in the NHL in road games (6.3 percent).
Winnipeg hasn't won away from home since October 28, a span of six games. Goalie Connor Hellebuyck has been particularly bad away from home with a minus-3.65 goals-saved above average, the eighth-worst road mark in the NHL.
The Jets have been outscored 18-5 in their five-game losing streak.
Flames vs. Jets Pick
Hellebuyck was pulled after allowing four goals on 14 shots against Minnesota, so he presumably would still be fresh enough to face the Flames on Saturday. He is one of the NHL's best, so it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibilities for him to stand on his head and steal a seemingly must-win game for Winnipeg.
Still, the Flames are about the worst team to face for a squad trying to get right. Calgary has the most points in the Western Conference and has allowed just 16 goals in seven home games (2.28) this season. We're comfortable with a puck-line bet in favor of the high-octane Flames, who are first in the NHL in goals-for percentage (64.2) and fifth in expected goals for percentage (53.6).
Pick: Calgary -1.5 (+155)
