Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Brady Tkachuk, and the Ottawa Senators are set to do battle against Pierre-Luc Dubois, Gustav Nyquist, and the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena in an Eastern Conference tilt. The action will get started at 7 p.m. ET on Monday, February 24, and you can catch the game live on The Sports Network.
Ottawa Senators at Columbus Blue Jackets Odds
Ottawa (+180) is currently the underdog to Columbus (-215), and oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. The line for betting that total stands at -125 over, +105 under.
Losing 1.0 unit for moneyline gamblers, Columbus is 30-33 straight up (SU) overall this year. That early-season winning percentage is a regression from the 47-35 record that the team posted during last year’s regular season campaign. Out of the team’s 63 regular season outings, 38 of them have gone under the total, while 24 have gone over and just one has pushed. The team’s 18-15 SU at home this season.
The Blue Jackets have converted on just 16.5 percent of their power play chances this year, a mark that’s ranked 23rd overall in the NHL. On the other hand, their penalty kill is ranked 11th overall, and they’ve successfully killed off 82.1 percent of all penalties.
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 year. If Columbus chooses to rest him, however, head coach John Tortorella might go with Elvis Merzlikins (12-19-19 record, .922 save percentage, 2.37 goals against average).
Over on the other bench, Ottawa is 21-41 straight up (SU) and has lost 13.8 units for moneyline bettors thus far. A total of 32 of its games have gone over the total, while 29 have gone under the total and just one has pushed. The Senators are 6-22 SU as the visiting team this season.
The Senators have converted on just 15.1 percent of their power play opportunities this year, a mark that places them in the bottom- overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 21st overall and it’s successfully killed off 78.2 percent of all opponent power plays.
Craig Anderson (26.1 saves per game) has been the primary option in goal for Ottawa. Anderson has nine wins, 20 losses, and two OT losses to his credit, and has registered a .901 save percentage and 3.21 goals against average this year.
Ottawa Senators vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Free Picks
NHL Prediction: SU Winner – Blue Jackets, O/U – Over
Betting Trends
- The Blue Jackets are 0-4 in games decided by a shootout this season while the Senators are 0-5 in shootouts.
- For both of these teams, the total has gone over in four of their past five matches.
- Seven of Ottawa’s last ten games have been decided by two goals or more. The team is 1-6 in those games.
- Ottawa skaters have accounted for the league’s third-most hits per game (28.1).
