The Winnipeg Jets were a trendy upset pick against the Vegas Golden Knights in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs and after one game that seems to hold some weight.

Not only did Winnipeg skate out of Vegas with a 5-1 win in the series-opener, but the scoreline was a fair reflection of how the game played out.

The Jets outshot Vegas, 24-14, at five-on-five and created 10 high-danger scoring chances compared to just five for the Golden Knights. It was a clinic.

What’s most concerning for Vegas is that the Jets have a huge advantage in goaltending with Connor Hellebuyck, so the Golden Knights need to tilt the ice and generate more scoring chances at five-on-five to negate that advantage as much as they can.

(10 p.m. Eastern)

They fell way short of that on Tuesday and it’s plausible that they struggle to out-chance Winnipeg again in Game 2. 

Despite the impressive showing in Game 1 and the fact that they have one of the best goalies in the NHL in their crease, Winnipeg remains a decent underdog for Game 2 and it’s certainly possible the price only gets better as money backs Vegas in a must-win, bounce-back spot.

It’s certainly possible that Vegas does deliver on Thursday, but betting into that kind of narrative is a dangerous game, especially since the Golden Knights showed very little in the series opener. 

If you thought Winnipeg was a live underdog in Game 1, there’s no reason to stray from that theory on Thursday night. 

Jets (+130, PointsBet)