The Vancouver Canucks are set to start a five-game road trip on Friday night when they visit the MTS Centre to play the Winnipeg Jets. Vancouver has struggled through the month of January, losing nine of 13 matchups, but did not fall too far down the playoff standings as the team currently holds the final playoff position in the Western Conference. The Canucks, however, will not play another home game until after the Olympics, when they host the St. Louis Blues in late February.

Winnipeg started out 2014 with five straight losses, but the team has since turned things around, winning six of its last eight matchups over the past two weeks. The Jets are still sitting in last place in the Central Division. However, they have closed the gap between themselves and the rest of the teams fighting for the final playoff spot. Vancouver has 55 points in the standings and only trails the Canucks by five points. Let’s take a closer look at Friday’s matchup with predictions and analysis.

Canucks at Jets Betting Story Lines

Winnipeg is coming off a 4-3 loss to Nashville on Tuesday and snapped an excellent stretch of hockey where the team had won four in row and six of seven matchups. The Jets trailed for most of the game but were able to catch up and tie the game at three goals apiece late in the second period. Winnipeg then gave up a power-play goal 42 seconds into the third period and was never able to score again. Goaltender Ondrej Pavelec gave up four goals on only 25 shot attempts throughout the night and has struggled in his last two starts for Winnipeg.

After Friday’s matchup against Vancouver, the Jets are set to play five of their next six matchups on the road, and they will desperately need to continue their hot start to the year if the squad plans on making a playoff push over the next few weeks. Winnipeg has been a capable squad on offensive all season, ranking 14th in goals scored with an average of 2.7 per game. The team’s real issues, however, have been on the defensive end and in front of the net—where the group allows 2.9 goals per game.

Vancouver is playing downright horrible during the first month of the year, yet surprisingly, still holds the final playoff spot in the West. The squad is on a two-game losing streak where it allowed nine goals to Chicago and Edmonton combined—the Oilers scored four goals on Monday. Veteran goaltender Roberto Luongo allowed 11 goals in his last three games on 91 shot attempts during that span.

Team point’s leader Daniel Sedin did not register a point during Vancouver’s last outing, which marked the eighth time in the last nine games that the 12-year veteran failed to earn a point. In fact, Sedin has not scored a goal in 2014 as of yet, and he is in the middle of a 14 game scoreless drought.

Canucks at Jets NHL Betting Odds and Key Trends

Winnipeg opened as a -111 favorite over the +101 underdog Canucks. The total was set at 5.5 goals, with the “under” being favored at -126. Winnipeg is 7-1 in its recent matchups when its opponent scores two goals or less in its previous game and 5-1 over its last six Friday games. The team is also 4-1 over its last five games versus the Pacific Division and 7-2 over its last nine games against Western Conference teams. Winnipeg is 6-2 in its last eight overall games.

Vancouver is 4-11 in its last 15 overall games and 1-5 during its last six games played on one day of rest. The team is 1-5 over its last six road games and 1-4 in its last five after allowing five goals or more in its previous matchup.

Head-to-head, the under is 3-0-1 in the last four meetings, while Vancouver is 4-0 in recent matchups. The home team is 4-1 during the last five overall games.

Free NHL Picks: Canucks at Jets Predictions

Vancouver is struggling at the moment and is in a deep slump to start 2014. The team is bound to recover, but Friday’s matchup will probably not be the game which turns things around. Winnipeg has finally moved itself within striking distance of playoff contention and should come into this matchup confident and looking to continue with its winning ways. The team is has played well on offense, which is a stark contrast to a Vancouver squad that is struggling to score. Take Winnipeg on the moneyline.

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Read more articles by George Monroy