Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Ottawa Senators: NHL Odds, Prediction
The Columbus Blue Jackets are battling for the Metropolitan Division lead – the franchise has never won a division title – as they make their only visit of the season to Ottawa on Friday.
Blue Jackets vs. Senators Betting Analysis
On Nov. 4, the Blue Jackets were -170 favourites when they hosted and beat the Senators 5-2 – Columbus’ season-high sixth straight win at the time (it lost the next time out). The game was tied 2-2 entering the third. Cam Atkinson scored the winner, his second goal of the game, at 10:40 of the period. He was the game’s No. 1 star. Tom Pyatt and Mike Hoffman had the Ottawa goals with Craig Anderson stopping 27 shots.
Last year, Ottawa was 1-1 at home vs. Columbus. The Jackets won the first meeting 7-6 in overtime on an Atkinson goal on a breakaway past Mike Condon. The Senators led 5-3 entering the third. The second matchup was a 3-2 Ottawa win. Zack Smith scored what would prove to be the game-winner shorthanded at 16:58 of the third, although Columbus scored less than a minute later to make things interesting. Anderson made 25 saves.
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Jackets (22-13-3) lost their first game out of the holiday break Wednesday, 2-1 in a shootout in Pittsburgh – Columbus’ third straight game to go to a shootout (it also lost one in Pittsburgh on Dec. 21). It appeared the Blue Jackets had lost early into overtime when Sidney Crosby scored, but it was overturned to due goalie interference. Columbus led 3-1 entering the third. It was 0-for-3 with the man advantage and ranks 30th on the power play at 11.8 per cent.
The team got a double dose of bad news earlier this week as wingers Atkinson and Alex Wennberg were both ruled out 4-6 weeks due to injury. Atkinson led the Blue Jackets with 35 goals and 62 points last year but had struggled with just 13 points so far in 2017-18 after landing a big extension. Top defenceman Zach Werenski didn’t play Wednesday with an undisclosed injury.
Ottawa Senators
The break didn’t help break Ottawa out of its doldrums as the Sens (11-16-8) lost their fourth in a row Wednesday, 5-1 in Boston. It was 3-0 Bruins by early in the second period. Thomas Chabot had the lone Ottawa goal, his second of the season. Anderson made just 18 saves. The Senators could be missing defenceman Fredrik Claesson for at least this game as he had a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety on Thursday for an illegal check to the head of Boston’s Noel Acciari. Claesson was assessed a match penalty and ended up fighting Tim Schaller after the hit. Perhaps Anderson gets Friday off as he has allowed 14 goals in his past three starts and the Senators play again Saturday.
