Artemi Panarin, Cam Atkinson, and the Columbus Blue Jackets will do battle against Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena in an Eastern Conference showdown. The opening face-off takes place at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, January 8, and fans at home can witness it live on Fox Sports Ohio.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Odds
The Lightning (-180) are the heavy favorite over the Blue Jackets (+160) and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 7 goals (-115 for the over, -105 for the under).
Tampa Bay is 32-10 straight-up (SU) and has netted moneyline bettors 15.2 units this season. That win percentage, best in the NHL so far this season, is an improvement compared to what the team managed during the 2017-18 season (54-28). Among its 42 games this season, 25 have gone over the total, while 15 have gone under and just two have pushed. The team’s 17-4 SU at home this year.
The Lightning enter the matchup with the second-strongest power-play unit in the NHL, as the team has scored on 30.1 percent of their extra-man advantages this season. On the other hand, their penalty kill is rated 10th overall, and they’ve successfully killed off 82.5 percent of all penalties.
Averaging 30.9 saves per game with a .920 save percentage, Andrei Vasilevskiy (16-6-2) has been the top option in goal for the Bolts this year. If Tampa Bay decides to rest him, however, the team could go with Louis Domingue (15-4-4 record, .904 save percentage, 2.99 goals against average).
On the visitors’ side of the ice, Columbus is 24-17 straight up (SU) and has earned 0.3 units for moneyline bettors this year. A total of 21 of its contests have gone under the total, while 16 have gone over and just four have pushed. The Blue Jackets are 13-7 SU as the visiting team this season.
The Blue Jackets have converted on just 12.9 percent of their power play chances this year, a mark that places them in the bottom- overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 15th overall and it’s successfully killed off 80.4 percent of all opponent power plays.
Sergei Bobrovsky (26.2 saves per game) has been the primary option in goal for Columbus. Bobrovsky has 18 wins, 13 losses, and one OT loss to his credit, and has registered a .908 save percentage and 2.81 goals against average this year.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Tampa Bay Lightning Free Picks
Free Pick: SU Winner – Lightning, O/U – Under
Betting Trends
- For both of these teams, the over has hit in four of their past five matches.
- Columbus has managed 25.4 shot attempts per game over its last five road games while Tampa Bay is averaging 32.8 shots per game over its last five at home.
- Over Tampa Bay’s last ten outings, five of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 4-1 in those games).
- The Bolts this season have handed out the ninth-most hits per game in the NHL (24.0).
