Free NHL Picks Today: Anaheim Ducks vs Winnipeg Jets 3/23/23

Free NHL Picks Today: Anaheim Ducks vs Winnipeg Jets 3/23/23
Thu 23rd March 2023

The Anaheim Ducks (23-38-10) and their suffocating penalty killing defense play host to the Winnipeg Jets (40-29-3), one of the league’s weakest power play offenses, at Honda Center on Thursday. Winnipeg is coming off a 2-1 win over the Coyotes on Tuesday.

The Jets committed four penalties in the game, though they held Arizona without a power play goal. Adam Lowry and Nikolaj Ehlers both scored once for the Jets. Connor Hellebuyck had a great performance with 29 saves (.966%) in the win.

Anaheim fell 5-1 to the Flames on Tuesday. Frank Vatrano was the only player to score for the Ducks. John Gibson saved only 38 of 43 shots against (.883%) in the loss.

HEAD TO HEAD

The Jets have won both games between the teams this season, including a 5-2 victory in their most recent meeting in December, their fourth straight win against Anaheim. Four players had two points for Winnipeg. Jakob Silfverberg and Brett Leason were on the scoresheet for Anaheim. Hellebuyck got the win, saving 28 of 30 shots (.933%).

FACING OFF

Winnipeg is averaging 3.00 goals per game for the season, 21st in the NHL, and they are taking on a Ducks team that is allowing 4.01 goals a game (32nd).

Meanwhile, Anaheim has found the net 2.55 times a game on average, 31st in the league, and the Jets are allowing opponents to score 2.81 goals per game (11th).

Anaheim averages fewer shots (28.6) than most teams in the league, ranking 29th, while the team’s 9.1% shooting percentage is 30th. With an average of 30.4 attempts, Winnipeg ranks 20th.

Power play opportunities ought to be plentiful for the Jets, as the Ducks have been penalized 4.41 times a game, fourth-most in the NHL, for an average of 11.15 minutes (sixth-highest). The visitors are averaging 3.65 penalties (18th) and 8.60 penalty minutes a game (16th).

The Ducks’ 31st-ranked power play offense (15.58%) will be put to the test against the Jets, who are the league’s second-best penalty killing team (83.73%).

Winnipeg, meanwhile, has scored on 19.83% of their power play opportunities (22nd), which the visitors will be looking to build on against Anaheim’s 29th-ranked 72.38% penalty killing rate.

TOP PERFORMERS:

Kyle Connor and Josh Morrissey have been the top skaters for the Jets this season with 73 and 69 points. In the net, Hellebuyck (31-22-2) is Winnipeg’s top goaltender.

He has a 2.59 GAA and a .918% save percentage. Trevor Zegras and Troy Terry lead the Ducks in scoring with 58 and 53 points, respectively.

Zegras has 22 goals and 36 assists, while Terry has 20 goals and 33 assists in 64 games. Anthony Stolarz (5-6-0) has the best goals against average for Anaheim at 3.73.

He has a save percentage of .897%. Gibson (14-27-8) has played the most games in net for the Ducks this season. He has a 3.89 GAA and a .902% save percentage.

HOME AND AWAY

Winnipeg is 18-17-1 away from home this season. Anaheim is 12-19-3 at home this season.

SportsTips’ NHL Pick:

Winnipeg Jets -1.5 (-110)

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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.

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