Scoreboard	1	2	3	Odds
Columbus Blue Jackets 25-48-8-1	1	0	1	+6.5
Toronto Maple Leafs 50-21-9-2	1	1	2	+361

Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Prediction, NHL Odds

For the first time in a while, the second of a back-to-back did not go well for the Maple Leafs. Not at all in fact, as they fell to the Red Wings 5-2 in a rare Sunday tilt at home. More on that below. As for Columbus, they vanquished the fading Ottawa Senators in overtime.

Check the NHL odds as they develop.

Blue Jackets vs. Maple Leafs NHL Betting Odds

For as strong as Toronto has been and for as relatively weak as Columbus has proven to be since last season, the Leafs only hold a slight 3-2 edge over the Jackets dating back to the previous campaign. In fact, Columbus got the better of Toronto in a back-to-back of their own in late February. Tuesday’s date is, therefore, the rubber match of the three-game set.

Columbus would surely like to get the upper hand on the Leafs, not only for the purposes of knowing they’ll have won the season series against a very good side, but for a semblance of good vibes. It would mark two consecutive victories for the club. Believe it or not, that’s a feat they have only accomplished twice since early December. It will be interesting to see how they handle Toronto’s top 10 offence, as they’ve been smoked a few times in recent weeks.

While one may question Toronto’s emotional investment in winning a season series against the Blue Jackets, the more dire matter at hand is their maddening inconsistency as of late. The streak of wins and losses flip-flopping is now seven. Equally distressing is that they have fallen in three of their last four home games. For a team that will have home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs, they may want to relearn how to play well in front of their fans.

Columbus Blue Jackets

A saying in sports posits that winning cures everything. That may only partially be true – Columbus really isn’t a very good team – defeating the Senators on Sunday after Saturday’s embarrassment versus the Panthers was just what the doctor ordered.

Had it not been for a peppering of misfortune, perhaps the contest would never have even required overtime at all. Kent Johnson (16^th) and Eric Robinson (11^th) both tallied for the Jackets in the first period for a 2-1 lead before their goalie, Jon Gillies (first start of the season) lost a blade on his skate, rendering him a sitting duck on Ottawa’s game-tying goal. The Senators held on to a 3-2 lead until quite late in the third period when Boone Jenner ripped a slap shot off a blocked attempt that sent the crowd into a frenzy. In overtime, Johnny Gaudreau stole the puck deep in Ottawa’s zone and fed a pass to a willing Kirill Marchenko who confidently slotted home the winner. Columbus earns two points with a 4-3 in extra time win.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Sunday’s defeat to the Red Wings featured many negatives. For one, goalie Matt Murray left the game with a concussion and is currently listed as Day-to-Day. Second, Toronto is quite clearly a better team yet lost at home. Third, it was simply a bad performance.

It might have been the fatigue of a back-to-back, especially since the first game was against a team (Ottawa) the Maple Leafs love to get up for, but Sunday was a rather pedestrian showing from the hosts. Detroit’s first goal from Olli Maatta was the result of sloppy puck handling at the blue line which allowed the Red Wing to escape on a breakaway. Dylan Larkin’s first of the game came in the dying seconds of the first period on a play that looked as though Toronto’s defence simply wasn’t fully awake either. The middle frame featured no scoring, and the Leafs made it a game early in the third period on a John Tavares (33^rd) power play goal, but Larkin would score twice more, including an empty netter to make the final 5-2.