Jets Get Buried in Denver as Avalanche Roll Without Makar

The Avalanche made mincemeat of our Jets +1.5 call, cruising to a 5-2 win that was never really in doubt. Colorado didn't just cover the puck line we faded—they stamped it into the ice at Ball Arena and made us look foolish in the process.

We leaned on Cale Makar's absence as a reason to grab the cushion, figuring Colorado's offense would lose its main catalyst and struggle to pull away. Turns out the Avs didn't need their Norris winner to dismantle Winnipeg. They jumped out early, controlled the middle frame, and put the game to bed with disciplined two-way hockey that looked nothing like a team missing its best player. Mackenzie Blackwood's .904 save percentage? Didn't matter when your skaters are buzzing and the Jets can't generate sustained pressure.

The real killer was Winnipeg's goaltending gamble. We acknowledged Domenic DiVincentiis was an unknown quantity stepping in for Hellebuyck, but we bet that uncertainty would keep things tight. Instead, the kid got shelled for five and the Jets' offense couldn't bail him out. Colorado's depth showed up, the special teams clicked, and the two-goal margin we thought was too steep became a laugher. Sometimes the favorite just wins, and wins big. This was one of those nights.