Bridgestone Arena is playing host to an enticing showdown as the Columbus Blue Jackets visit Tennessee to take on the Nashville Predators. This East-West matchup will get underway at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 22, and it can be caught live on Fox Sports Ohio.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Nashville Predators Odds
With a -165 moneyline, Nashville enters the matchup as the obvious favorite. The line for Columbus now stands at +145, and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at 6 goals. The odds for betting the total stand at -120 for the over and even money (+100) for the under.
Columbus is 30-32 straight up (SU) and has lost 0.0 units for moneyline bettors thus far. Through 62 regular season matches, 38 of its games have gone under the total, while 23 have gone over and just one has pushed. This 2019-20 Blue Jackets team is 12-17 SU on the road.
Columbus has converted on just 16.1 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a figure that places them in the bottom-5 overall among NHL teams. Its penalty kill is ranked 12th overall, and it has successfully killed off 81.9 percent of all penalties.
For the team as a whole, Columbus has been whistled for penalties just 3.0 times per game overall this season, and 1.2 per game over its last five road outings. The team’s been forced to stave off opponent power plays just 4.6 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Averaging 25.7 saves per game with a .913 save percentage, Joonas Korpisalo (17-15-5) has been the primary option in goal for Columbus this season. If it chooses to give him a rest, however, Columbus may turn to Elvis Merzlikins (12-18-8), who has a .922 save percentage and 2.35 goals against average this year.
The visiting Blue Jackets have relied on Pierre-Luc Dubois and Gustav Nyquist heavily this season. Dubois (44 points) has tallied 17 goals and 27 assists, and has recorded two or more points nine times. Nyquist has 12 goals and 25 assists to his credit (and has notched at least one point in 29 games).
On the other side of the ice, Nashville is 29-31 straight up (SU) and has lost 12.4 units for moneyline bettors thus far. Through 60 regular season outings, 33 of its games have gone over the total, while 25 have gone under and just one has pushed. This season, the team’s 13-16 SU at home.
Nashville has converted on just 16.0 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a mark that’s ranked 28th in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 31st overall, and it’s successfully killed off 74.3 percent of all opponent power plays.
The Predators have been penalized 3.9 times per game this season, and 2.8 per game over their last five at home. The team has been forced to stave off opponent power plays just 6.6 minutes per game over their last five home outings.
Pekka Rinne (25.0 saves per game) has been the top selection in goal for Nashville. Rinne has 18 wins, 17 losses, and four overtime losses to his credit and has recorded a mediocre 3.00 goals against average and a fairly-weak .900 save percentage this year.
Roman Josi (14 goals, 43 assists) will lead the offensive attack for the Predators.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Nashville Predators Betting Predictions
Free NHL Pick: SU Winner – Blue Jackets, O/U – Over
Betting Trends
- Columbus is 0-3 in games decided by a shootout this season while Nashville is 2-3 in shootouts.
- The over has hit in four of Columbus’ last five outings.
- Two clubs that fire the puck toward the goal a lot, Columbus has taken the league’s 10th-most shots on goal (32.4) and Nashville has attempted the fifth-most (33.1).
- Four of Nashville’s last ten contests have been decided by two or more goals, and the team is 1-3 overall in those games.
- Columbus skaters created 23.0 hits per game last season, while the Predators posted 18.7 hits per contest.
