Only one game remains in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs before the second-round matchups are finalized. The Winnipeg Jets, who finished the season with the league`s top record, will host the decisive Game 7 against the St. Louis Blues. The victor of this contest will face the Dallas Stars in the next round later this week.
Here`s a look at the key details for Sunday`s pivotal Game 7 between St. Louis and Winnipeg, including game analysis, player insights, and betting odds.
St. Louis Blues vs. Winnipeg Jets, 7 p.m. ET, TBS/MAX
Remarkably, the home team has claimed victory in all six games played so far in this series, a trend that favors the Jets for Game 7. Analysis shows both teams have significantly stronger performance on home ice. The Blues have netted 17 goals in St. Louis compared to fewer on the road in Winnipeg, while the Jets found the back of the net just five times across three road games, scoring 12 in their three home contests. Winnipeg`s netminder, Connor Hellebuyck, widely considered the frontrunner for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league`s MVP, has also demonstrated superior form when playing at home in Winnipeg compared to his starts in St. Louis, where he conceded 16 goals.
Winnipeg aims to be the first team since the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks to capture both the Presidents` Trophy and the Stanley Cup in the same season. However, they also face the possibility of becoming the third Presidents` Trophy winner since 2018-19 to be eliminated in the first round.
For St. Louis, Cam Fowler is the series` leading scorer with 10 points. On the Jets side, Kyle Connor tops their scoring with nine points, tallying four goals and five assists. Projections for player performance suggest taking the Under on Connor`s total points line of 1.5, estimating his output closer to 0.5 points. Similarly, the Under on Fowler`s points prop, set at 0.5, is also recommended based on analysis.
According to current betting odds, the Jets are favored at -177 on the money line (requiring a $177 wager to win $100), having opened at -115. The visiting Blues are the underdogs at +147 (a $100 bet yields $134 in winnings). The total goals for the game is set at 5. Analysis suggests one team is projected to win in approximately 64% of simulations.
