NHL

NHL Betting Guide: Monday 11/22/21

The Jets and Penguins clash in a battle of surging squads. What's the best way to bet their contest?

We start the holiday week with six games on Monday. Let's see where there's value in the betting market.

Note: Lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published. Please check here to make sure you're seeing the most updated information.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs Winnipeg Jets

Over 5.5 (-110): 1-Star Rating Out of 5

The Pittsburgh Penguins have had to overcome many obstacles to start this season. They started without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and then lost many other players due to injury and COVID protocols. It hasn't all been going well, but they've managed to stay afloat in the Eastern Conference and sit just one point out of the playoffs.

The Winnipeg Jets haven't been grabbing any headlines this season, but they have quietly been solid. They are second in the Central division and looked improved from last season in many areas.

We are going to take the over here for a few different reasons. These teams both have a lot of offensive talent in their lineup. The Jets can go with three lines that can hurt any team, especially now with Pierre-Luc Dubois excelling in his second season with the team. Kyle Connor is playing at another level this season, with only Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Alex Ovechkin having more points than him.

The season has seen some strange results for the Penguins. Pittsburgh has scored at least five goals in four games this season and allowed five goals in five games. The overall numbers aren't too far off of normal, but these games sometimes go off the rails which would lead to the over hitting tonight.

The Penguins have Crosby back in the lineup, so you would expect their power play to improve from dead last where it currently sits. Winnipeg is seventh and Pittsburgh eighth in expected goals per 60 minutes, so they are each capable of generating offense. While both teams have been reasonably defensively, they have both shown that they are beatable in that department.

The total at 5.5 seems a bit low with these teams being able to rack up goals, and our model agrees. It's just a one-star bet, but it certainly makes some sense.