Pittsburgh @ WINNIPEG
Pittsburgh -½ +200 over WINNIPEG

BEST LINES:  Pinnacle -½ +195 BET 365 -½ +200 SportsInteraction -½ +200 5DIMES -½ +200

Posted at 2:15 PM EST.

8:05 PM EST. Expectations were high to start the season in Winnipeg and for the most part, the Jets have not disappointed, as they are 13-7-2 and seven points behind the Predators for first in the NHL's Central Division. Winnipeg has two games in hand so that gap isn't as big as it looks and just two points separate the Jets from both the Wild and Avalanche, who each have played one more game. Patrik Laine is now the league's leading goal scorer after lighting the lamp five times in an 8-4 romp over the Blues on Saturday night. The Teemu Selanne comparisons were already there for the young Finnish superstar, but with Laine on such a torrid run (he's on pace for 70 goals), he and the Jets are firmly in the spotlight. That's the good news. The bad news is that the Jets have not been nearly as great as they've appeared on paper this season and that goes for Laine too. Sure, the goals are nice, but Laine leads all of the team's forwards in giveaways (17) and turnover differential (-8). Only Andrew Copp joins Laine as a forward with a negative DIFF (-2). That end of Laine's game has been widely criticized by the Jets faithful that follows the team day in and day out. Also concerning for Winnipeg has been their performance in the last 10 games despite racking up the wins. It was outshot in victories over the Panthers, Avalanche, Devils and Washington. The Jets were not the better team on the ice in any of those games, the Devils and Avs in particular, where a pair of 5-2 scores were very misleading, as suspect goaltending sunk both squads. While the Jets were still under the radar last season, a resounding 7-1 drubbing of these Penguins in late October may have foreshadowed that Winnipeg was ready to take the next step. The Jets were, of course, a pooch in that game, but tonight they are the betting favorites against Pittsburgh for the first time in nearly three years.

The Penguins are in sixth place in the Metropolitan Division and there are many different reasons they are not performing up to par here so far in 2018-19, but the biggest is between the pipes. Matt Murray has lost his mojo and is again on the injured list, which leaves Pittsburgh with a pair of unproven puck stoppers in Casey DeSmith and Tristan Jarry. An injury to Sidney Crosby also did nothing to help the Pens on the ice, but since he's been back in the lineup the last three games, he has five points. In the games since #87 has been back, the Pens crushed Dallas 5-1 while outshooting the Stars 30-19, dropped a 2-1 overtime decision in Boston and then took out the Blue Jackets on Saturday night 4-2. The Pens are on the front end of a back-to-back here, as they go to Colorado tomorrow night, where they'll likely be a dog to the red-hot Avalanche as well. With that in mind, Pittsburgh is a near must bet as a pooch with Crosby in the lineup and even if we rip this ticket up tonight, we'll come right back on them again tomorrow. A split is profitable, but cashing both bets is not out of the question.

Therefore:

OT included - Pittsburgh +129 for 1 unit.

Regulation only - Pittsburgh -½ +200 for 1 unit. 

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Our Pick

Pittsburgh -½ +200 (Risking 2 units - To Win: 4.00)

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Chicago +167 over Ottawa