Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Prediction, NHL Odds
Both teams played on Tuesday as a part of the NHL’s “Frozen Frenzy” each team coming out with a 4-3 win. Columbus is starting to build some steam, winning four of their past five games and climbing to 5-4 after a tough start to the season.
The NHL odds are slightly leaning in favour of the Blue Jackets at -115, with the total set at 6.5 goals. Puck drop from Nationwide Arena is set for 7:30 PM ET.
Maple Leafs vs. Blue Jackets NHL Betting Odds
Toronto and Columbus will be facing off for the first time this season on Wednesday; they will be seeing a lot of each other over the next month though, playing twice again before the end of November. Last year’s three-game season series was blowout after blowout, with Columbus getting the upper hand two games to one. The Blue Jackets took the first two meetings 6-2 and 5-1, before getting beat in the finale 5-0. The series consisted of one OVER and the Jackets covering the spread twice.
The Leafs defensive game has taken a step back early this season, giving up 36 goals in their first 10 games, ninth worst in the NHL. The struggle to keep the puck out of their net has them hitting the OVER 8-2, which is a league high. It has been a slower start for Toronto than fans are used to, sitting 5-4-1 and covering the spread only twice. Despite being 0-2 on the road, 72 percent of early bettors are taking the Leafs on Wednesday.
Columbus has a similar 5-4 record, but has looked much better lately, ripping off four wins in their past five. The Blue Jackets are one of a handful of teams with only nine games played, but their 28 goals against is still impressive, ranking sixth best in the league. They have hit the OVER three times this season, including each of their past two wins.
An interesting early bet on our NHL Futures Board, is whether Toronto or Columbus will make the playoffs or not. They have almost the same record at this point in the season, but their odds are very different. Toronto not making the playoffs pays +220, and they are in a very tough Atlantic Division. On the other hand, Columbus to make the playoffs is +185 after just missing out a season ago.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto snuck away with back-to-back 4-3 wins to bring them back above .500, but beating the Sabres and them the struggling Flames is not much to hang your hat on. The win on Tuesday at home versus Calgary came down to the wire. Flames jumped ahead early, taking a 1-0 lead into the second, before going back and forth in the middle frame to come out tied at twos. Early in the third, a power-play goal gave the Leafs their first lead of the night, but Calgary would not go out easily, tying it with just over five minutes to play. Max Domi played the hero, scoring his second of the game with 2:04 to go in the game to seal the deal for Toronto.
Matthew Knies was the best player for the Buds in this one, picking up two goals and adding an assist on the game winner. His second three-point night of the year brings him to 13 points, tied for second on the team.
Anthony Stolarz has yet to start in a back-to-back this season, so expect to see Cayden Primeau start his third of the season. Somehow, Primeau is 2-0 despite an ugly .875 save percentage and 3.46 goals against average.
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Jackets are trying to prove last year was no fluke. They were not expected to push for a playoff spot last year, but stayed in the race till the end. This season’s 1-3 start was quickly erased by their current 4-1 got them back to a 5-4 record.
Columbus squeezed out a 4-3 win in overtime on Tuesday in Buffalo versus the Sabres. Goalie Jet Greaves had his best performance of the season, stopping 35 of 38, keeping the Jackets in the game all night. The team’s depth scoring gets things done up front with goals from Yegor Chinakhov, Zach Werenski and a pair, including the game winner from Miles Wood in his return from injury.
Depth scoring is the best part of the Blue Jackets’ lineup, as they do not need to rely on a single line. 12 different players have scored for Columbus through nine games, leading the way is the Russian duo, Kirill Marchenko and Dimitri Voronkov, with five each.
Not often are teams better on the road than at home, which is the case in Columbus early on, winning just one of four home games. To get back into the postseason, that number needs to improve; luckily, they still have some time.
