Two Western Conference teams clash on Wednesday night in the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets visiting the Anaheim Ducks. Welcome to NHL Predictions here at Last Word on Hockey, where each day we preview and predict the upcoming slate of NHL games around the league! In this article, we will be previewing and predicting the matchup between the Winnipeg Jets and Anaheim Ducks. Be sure to check out all of our predictions throughout the 2024-25 season and follow along your favourite teams.
NHL Predictions
Winnipeg Jets vs Anaheim Ducks
Time: 10:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
TV: TSN3, Victory+, KCOP-13; ESPN+
Winnipeg and Anaheim will meet for the first time this season on Wednesday night at the Honda Center. It will be the second game of a back-to-back for Winnipeg after defeating the San Jose Sharks 4-3 on Tuesday night. Adam Lowry broke a 3-3 tie late in the third period deflecting in a shot from Dylan DeMelo. Winnipeg has dominated their head-to-head matchup with Anaheim, winning eight straight meetings dating back to 2021. Anaheim has scored more than two goals in a game versus Winnipeg only once during that stretch (October 26th, 2021 – 4-3 WPG). These teams’ last meeting was a 6-0 thrashing by Winnipeg on March 15th of last season; Josh Morrissey tallied three assists and former-Jet Laurent Brossoit recorded a shutout on that night.
Winnipeg Looking To Extend Streaks
The Jets are hoping to extend their winning streak to three games on Wednesday night. As well, if they defeat Anaheim it would mean wins in six of their last eight games. After hitting a speed bump in their play at the end of November and beginning of December, Winnipeg is again finding their footing. Importantly, they are defending well (three or less goals allowed in six of their last seven games) and scoring in bunches (four or more goals scored in four of their last six games).
Speaking of streaks, Kyle Connor is hopeful to extend his goal streak to three straight games. The Jets sniper has found the back of the net in five of his last seven games and is red hot right now. Josh Morrissey had a four game point streak snapped on Tuesday against San Jose, but the Jets blueliner still has ten points in his last ten games. He will look to start a new streak on Wednesday.
Anaheim’s Duck-lings Struggling To Score
Anaheim boasts an immense amount of talent and potential in their young roster. However, it has been a struggle to score this season for everyone as the team sits 31st in the NHL in goals per game (2.41). No Ducks player has more than eight goals, and only one skater has recorded 20 points or more – Troy Terry, who leads the team with 24 points. Exciting forwards Mason McTavish, Trevor Zegras, Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier have combined for just 17 goals overall.
Growing pains are expected when you have a young roster but Ducks fans and management couldn’t have imagined having this many problems scoring goals. As alarming as the lack of scoring is, the lack of chances and opportunities created is equally concerning. Anaheim is in the bottom five in the NHL in 5v5 Goals For, Expected Goals For, Scoring Chances For and Corsi For. Add this 5v5 offensive ineptitude to their 28th ranked powerplay and you have a recipe for how not to win games.
NHL Predictions – Jets vs Ducks
Even though this is a back-to-back for Winnipeg, this is a difficult matchup for Anaheim. Facing a team that they’ve historically struggled with, the struggles will continue. The Ducks cannot score. It’s expected that Eric Comrie will get the call for the Jets in this one but that won’t make things any easier for Anaheim. The Jets top line of Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi will give the Ducks all they can handle and more; Anaheim will not and cannot contain these three who have combined for 49 goals already this season. To put that in perspective, Anaheim as a team has only score 71 goals overall this year. I am predicting the Jets will take this one fairly easily in a game that has all the makings of a snooze fest for the home fans.
Prediction: Jets Win 4-1
Prop Bets of the Night
There a several intriguing props in this matchup, but we like Vladislav Namestnikov as an anytime goal scorer. Gambling sites have Namestnikov at +400 to score in this game, very good value for a player that is playing in their top-six forwards and gets opportunities on the power play.
Main photo by: Terrence Lee-Imagn Images
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The post NHL Predictions: Dec. 18 Anaheim Ducks vs Winnipeg Jets appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.