Jonathan Huberdeau, Aleksander Barkov, and the Florida Panthers are set to face off against Pierre-Luc Dubois, Gustav Nyquist, and the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena in an Eastern Conference tilt. Fox SportsNet Florida will showcase the action, which gets going at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, December 31.
Florida Panthers vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Odds
Florida is 20-18 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 0.6 units this year. Through 38 regular season contests, 23 of its games have gone over the total, while 12 have gone under and just three have pushed. As an away team this season, the Panthers are 7-9 SU.
Florida has converted on 22.8 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a figure that places them in the top-10 among NHL teams. Its penalty kill is ranked 23rd out of 31 teams, and it has successfully killed off 78.8 percent of its penalties..
Averaging 27.0 saves per game with a .898 save percentage, Sergei Bobrovsky (15-15-4) has been the top option in goal for Florida this season. If head coach Joel Quenneville chooses to rest him, however, Florida might turn to Sam Montembeault (3-4-1 record, .889 save percentage, 3.31 goals against average).
On the other bench, Columbus is 17-22 straight up (SU) and has lost 3.8 units for moneyline bettors thus far. 23 of its contests have gone under the total, while 15 have gone over and just one has pushed. The team’s 11-10 SU at home this year.
The Blue Jackets have converted on just 16.9 percent of their power play chances this year, a figure that’s ranked 24th in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 16th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 80.9 percent of all penalties.
Joonas Korpisalo (25.7 saves per game) has been the primary option in goal for the Blue Jackets. Korpisalo has 17 wins, 15 losses, and five OT losses to his credit and has registered a 2.49 goals against average and a .913 save percentage this season.
Florida Panthers at Columbus Blue Jackets Free Picks
Free Pick: SU Winner – Panthers, O/U – Over
Betting Trends
- The Panthers (3-3 in shootouts) has more shootout experience coming into this one. The Blue Jackets has yet to win a shootout this year (0-2).
- The under has hit in four of Columbus’ last five outings.
- Two offenses that fire the puck toward the goal a lot, Florida has attempted the league’s ninth-most shots on goal (33.1) and Columbus’s attempted the eighth-most (33.3).
- Four of Columbus’ last ten games have been decided by two or more goals. The club is 4-0 overall in those games.
- Florida skaters created 23.2 hits per game last season, while the Blue Jackets logged 23.0 hits per contest.
