The St. Louis Blues opened up the season on a ridiculous pace that saw the team win its first four games by a 19-7 margin. The Blues then played a high-profile matchup against the also-undefeated San Jose Sharks that quickly go out of control as St. Louis’ forward Maxim Lapierre left Sharks’ defensemen Dan Boyle unconscious after a brutal hit from behind. Boyle left the game on a stretcher, and Lapierre was ejected and suspended indefinitely pending an in-person hearing. San Jose went on to win the game 6-2 and remain one of the only undefeated teams left in the league. The Blues went on to face the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday and will face the Winnipeg Jets on Friday during the second night of a road back-to-back.

The Winnipeg Jets started the season with a promising two-game win streak that included a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings, but they have since fallen on hard times by losing four of their last five games and being outscored 12-7 during that span. The Jets have struggled on offense during their last four games and do not have one player that has scored more than three goals in the team’s first seven games. By contrast, St. Louis already has two players with four goals in only five games worth of action. Let’s take an in-depth looked at Friday night’s Blues versus Jets matchup and figure out which side of the game bettors should wager on.

Blues at Jets Betting Story Lines

St. Louis has been dominant to start the season and received excellent production from Alexander Steen, David Backes and Derek Roy, who all have six to eight points in five games. Blues goaltender Jaroslav Halak has been solid through five starts and has a .917 save percentage. The team has been excellent on defense and has allowed only 132 shots for an average of 29 attempts per game. The team currently ranks second in goals scored at 4.2 per game, 14th in goals allowed with 2.6 per game and fourth in power play percentage.

Winnipeg is coming off a 3-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens and is beginning to lose ground in a tough Central Division. The team trails everybody but the Dallas Stars in the division and has to contend with the hot starts from the Colorado Avalanche, Chicago Blackhawks and tonight’s opponent, the Blues. The Jets are in desperate need of a victory while they continue to be in the comfort of their home arena for three more games. Winnipeg is in the middle of a four-game homestand and will hit the road next Thursday for four straight away games. If the team cannot produce a positive record over the next three games, they might dig an insurmountable hole one month into the season.

The Blues have had as good of a start to the season as any team could hope for, but they still trail five other teams in the Western Conference standings. The Central Division in particular might be the most competitive in the entire NHL, and St. Louis will have its work cut out for them this season. The team is about to enter a rough patch in its schedule as they play six of their next eight games on the road over the next two weeks. If the team continues to control the puck and outshoot their opponents by nearly three shots per game, they should have not problem earning a few victories on the road.

Blues at Jets NHL Betting Odds and Key Trends

The Blues opened as a slight road favorite at -124 odds, while the Jets are a +114 moneyline underdog, according to BetOnline. The total opened at 5.5 goals, with the “under” being favored at -121. The under is 3-1-2 in the last six meetings between the two teams. The Jets have gone under in their last five overall games and in their last four home games. Winnipeg is 1-4 during their last five games and is 2-3 at home. The Blues have gone under 21 times in their last 33 games. They have also scored over five goals in all put one of their games this season. The Jets, on the other hand, have not scored over five goals once in their last five games.

Free NHL Picks: Blues at Jets Betting Predictions

The Blues are coming off of a tough set of games against the Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks, and they will be looking to continue their fast start to the season with a win against the struggling jets. The “over” seems like a solid play as it is receiving a positive payout, and the Blues have scored over six goals four times in five games this season. However, the best wager to make on tonight’s Blues versus Jets matchup is taking St. Louis as a small road favorite. There is always value taking a home underdog, but the Jets are not receiving great odds at +114 and are essential a “pick‘em” at this price. The Blues have been an overwhelming force to start the year and should be able to get a win against a sub-par team before they hit the road for an extended trip of away games. Take the Blues on the moneyline.

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Read more articles by George Monroy