Winnipeg finally found a way out of its losing streak, scoring four late goals to force overtime in Montreal before Dylan Samberg finished the comeback. It was a remarkable escape. It also came after the Jets had fallen behind 4–0, leaving a useful question for their meeting with Vancouver: how much confidence should one dramatic finish restore in a team that has still lost nine of its last 10?
A spark for Winnipeg, with more to prove
Kyle Connor scored twice in Tuesday’s 5–4 win, including the tying power-play goal with 32 seconds left in regulation. Mark Scheifele had two assists, and Winnipeg reunited Scheifele, Connor and Gabriel Vilardi on its top line in that game, the AP reported. Getting production from that group gives the Jets something tangible to build on.
The other half of the game still matters. Winnipeg conceded four goals before responding, immediately after a 7–0 loss at Carolina. The victory ended nine straight defeats and brought the Jets to 5–8–3. Vancouver is 3–13–1, and both teams have lost nine of their last 10. Winnipeg has the better season record, but neither side has recently made winning look dependable.
The saved DraftKings moneylines price Winnipeg at -218 and Vancouver at +180. The case for the favorite rests on carrying its revived scoring into a fuller performance. Vancouver doesn’t need to dominate to threaten a team that has repeatedly fallen into trouble, but the Canucks’ own struggles make it difficult to count on them taking advantage. The moneyline question is how much of Winnipeg’s late rally can carry over into a game it controls earlier.
Vancouver’s special teams are a warning
The Canucks lost 5–4 to Anaheim on Tuesday despite two goals from Jake DeBrusk. Anaheim converted all three of its power-play opportunities. Vancouver also scored with the man advantage through Liam Ohgren and DeBrusk, according to the AP. Four goals gave Vancouver a chance, but its penalty kill handed too much back.
That is a specific concern against Winnipeg after Connor’s late power-play equalizer. Avoiding penalties would keep Vancouver from having to ask its kill to recover immediately from the Anaheim game. Winnipeg also has an absence to account for: Josh Morrissey will miss the game with a wrist injury, according to Wednesday’s TSN report. There is no verified replacement assignment to assume in his place.
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Unsettled goaltending shapes the 6.5 total
Leevi Merilainen and Stuart Skinner are the projected starters for Vancouver and Winnipeg, respectively; neither is confirmed. Across their last five completed appearances for their current teams this season, Merilainen has an .868 save percentage and Skinner an .840 mark. Skinner’s sample includes two shortened starts. These recent results offer little reassurance if either defense keeps giving up opportunities.
Merilainen did not play in Vancouver’s latest loss; Kevin Lankinen was in goal against Anaheim. Skinner made 18 saves in Winnipeg’s comeback. The Jets’ dramatic win therefore came with Skinner in net, while Vancouver’s latest four-goal scoring effort tells us nothing new about Merilainen’s form.
The listed total is 6.5. Winnipeg’s last four games all went over their totals, which ranged from 5.5 to 6.5, but that run includes games in which its own offense scored zero and two goals. Recent overs haven’t required consistently strong Jets scoring. Vancouver’s last 10 have produced six unders and four overs, with the Canucks scoring exactly two goals in seven of those games. Their latest four-goal output is encouraging without erasing that longer stretch.
The scoring question is whether defensive and goaltending problems create enough openings for two offenses that have often struggled to finish. Winnipeg’s late revival and Vancouver’s special-teams swings make a scoring game plausible; the Canucks’ repeated low outputs provide the counterweight. Watch whether Winnipeg can establish a lead without needing another rescue, and whether Vancouver can keep its penalty kill from undoing the work of its scorers.
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