The Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets face elimination on Thursday after losing both road games against the Dallas Stars.
The pregame narrative: Connor Hellebuyck has been brutal this postseason and must return to Vezina form to keep Winnipeg alive. The Jets are slight home favourites against the Stars’ red-hot offence, led by Mikko Rantanen.
Check out my Stars vs. Jets playoff SGP predictions featuring Rantanen and Kyle Connor for Game 5 on May 15.
Stars vs. Jets predictions
Parlay: Stars moneyline | Rantanen to score 1+ points | Connor to score 1+ points (+350)
Stars moneyline (+108): Goaltending is the great equalizer, and Hellebuyck’s play is the reason Winnipeg earned home ice throughout the postseason.
But that cuts both ways, and his horrible run has the Jets one game away from breaking out the golf clubs.
- Regular season: 2.01 GAA, .925 SV%, 3+ goals allowed in 23 of 63 starts
- Potseason: 3.48 GAA, .851 SV%, 3+ goals allowed in 9 of 11 starts
Dallas, meanwhile, has gotten elite play out of its goalie, Jake Oettinger. The 26-year-old has a 2.55 GAA and .917 SV% this postseason and has shut the door in back-to-back games.
It would be one thing if the Jets were dominating play at 5-on-5, but they’re not.
Winnipeg has generated just two more chances per game than Dallas. With how tightly contested things are, I have to pick the team with better goaltending.
NHL SGP legs
Rantanen to score 1+ points (-245): Rantanen has been on another planet lately, almost single-handedly pushing Dallas past the Colorado Avalanche.
He had five goals and 11 points in the final three games of that series and leads all skaters this postseason with 19 points.
The Finnish winger has seven points in four games against Winnipeg, clearing this total three times.
His line with Roope Hintz and Mikael Granlund leads Dallas in chances (41), scoring chances (25), goals (three), and xG (2.36), per Natural Stat Trick.
Conner to score 1+ points (-235): I don’t expect Oettinger to pitch a shutout, and any offence Winnipeg generates is likely to involve Connor.
- The American is coming off a career season where he logged 41 goals and 97 points.
- In the playoffs, he has five goals and 14 points in 11 games (8-3 vs. this line).
Connor’s line with Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi has generated double the amount of scoring chances (18) as any other line.
Look for that trio to produce again.
Stars vs. Jets predictions made at 11:25 a.m. ET 05/15/2025.
Avery joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2022 before stepping into a full-time role soon after. He loves betting on and analyzing golf — mainly because it’s easier than actually playing — but is a fan of all sports, from the NFL to the UFC.