Nationwide Arena will be hosting an intriguing matchup as the Colorado Avalanche pay a visit to the Columbus Blue Jackets. It’s the final time that the two clubs will meet in the regular season. This East-West matchup will get underway at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 8, and it will be broadcasted live on Altitude 2.
Colorado Avalanche vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Odds
Moneyline and Over/Under (O/U) odds have not yet been posted for this matchup.
The Blue Jackets are 30-25 straight-up (SU) and have earned moneyline bettors 7.0 units this year. That early-season winning percentage is fairly close to the 47-35 record the team produced during last year’s regular season campaign. 34 of the team’s 55 outings have gone under the total, while 19 have gone over and just one has pushed. The team’s 18-11 SU at home this year.
Columbus has converted on just 16.8 percent of its power play chances this year, a mark that puts the team in the bottom-10 overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked ninth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 82.6 percent of all penalties.
Columbus, as a collective unit, has been penalized just 3.1 times per game overall this season, and 1.6 per game over its past five match ups. The team has been forced to stave off opponent power plays for just 5.4 minutes per game over its last 10 outings, overall.
Boasting a .913 save percentage and 25.7 saves per game, Joonas Korpisalo (17 wins, 15 losses, and five OT losses) has been the best goalkeeper for the Blue Jackets this season. If the Jackets decide to give him the night off, however, head coach John Tortorella might turn to Elvis Merzlikins (12-12-12 record, .930 save percentage, 2.20 goals against average).
The Jackets will continue relying on leadership out of Pierre-Luc Dubois and Gustav Nyquist. Dubois (42 points) has produced 17 goals and 25 assists and has recorded multiple points on nine different occasions this year. Nyquist has 12 goals and 23 assists to his name and has notched a point in 26 contests.
Colorado has netted 2.8 units for moneyline bettors this year and is currently 30-22 straight up (SU). 28 of its outings have gone over the total, while 22 have gone under the total and just two have pushed. Colorado’s 16-11 SU as the visiting team this season.
Colorado has converted on 19.3 percent of its power play chances this season, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 21st overall and it’s successfully defended 78.8 percent of all opponent power plays.
Colorado’s players have been penalized 3.7 times per game in total this season, and 3.0 per game over their last five on the road. The team has had to kill penalties just 8.8 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Philipp Grubauer (27.0 saves per game) has been the primary choice in the net for Colorado. Grubauer owns a 17-15-4 record, and has registered a .910 save percentage and 2.78 goals against average this year.
Leading the offensive push for the visiting Avalanche will be Nathan MacKinnon, who has 30 goals and 44 assists this season.
Colorado Avalanche vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Betting Predictions
Prediction: SU Winner – Avalanche, O/U – Under
Betting Trends
- The Avalanche are 17-9 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 23-10 when they serve fewer than 10 total penalty minutes.
- Columbus skaters have averaged 6.2 takeaways per game over its last five home games, a slight drop from its season average of 6.6 takeaways per game (ranked 25th).
- Colorado is ranked ninth with 8.3 takeaways per game. That figure has trended down lately, however, as the team has forced 7.6 takeaways over its last 10 games and 7.0 takeaways over its last five.
- Columbus might hold the upper hand if this one comes down to the wire. The team’s 18-15 in games decided by one goal, while Colorado is 5-9 in such games.
