Two squads currently on losing skids, the Ottawa Senators and the Columbus Blue Jackets clash at Nationwide Arena. This Eastern Conference matchup will get going at 7 p.m. ET on Monday, February 24, and it’ll be shown live on The Sports Network.
Ottawa Senators at Columbus Blue Jackets Odds
Playing the role of heavy favorite will be Columbus (-215), whereas Ottawa is a dog offering moneyline odds of +180, and oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. The odds for betting that total sit at -125 for the over and +105 for the under at Sports Interaction, Canadas #1 Sportsbook.
The Blue Jackets are 30-33 straight up (SU) and have not been kind to moneyline bettors (returning -1.0 unit) thus far. That early-season winning percentage is a slide from what the team recorded during the 2018-19 season (47-35). 38 of the team’s 63 contests have gone under the total, while 24 have gone over and just one has pushed. The team’s 18-15 SU at home this year.
Columbus has converted on just 16.5 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a mark that places the team in the bottom-10 overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is rated 11th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 82.1 percent of all penalties.
As a collective unit, Columbus has been penalized just 2.9 times per game overall this season, and 1.4 per game over its past five games. The team’s had to kill penalties for just 4.2 minutes per game over its last 10 outings, overall.
Averaging 25.7 saves per game with a .913 save percentage, Joonas Korpisalo (17 wins, 15 losses, and five OT losses) has been the top goalkeeper for the Blue Jackets this season. If the Jackets choose to give him the night off, however, head coach John Tortorella may go with Elvis Merzlikins (12-19-19 record, .922 save percentage, 2.37 goals against average).
Pierre-Luc Dubois and Gustav Nyquist will each be focal points for the Blue Jackets. Dubois (44 points) has produced 17 goals and 27 assists and has recorded two or more points in nine different games this year. Nyquist has 12 goals and 25 assists to his name and has recorded a point in 29 games.
Ottawa has lost 13.8 units for bettors taking the moneyline thus far and is currently 21-41 straight up (SU). A total of 32 of its matches have gone over the total, while 29 have gone under the total and just one has pushed. Ottawa’s 6-22 SU as a road team this season.
Ottawa has converted on just 15.1 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a figure that’s ranked 29th in the NHL. 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.
Ottawa’s skaters have been penalized 4.0 times per game in total this season, and 4.6 per game over their last five on the road. The team’s been forced to kill penalties a whopping 17.6 minutes per game over their last five outings.
Craig Anderson (.901 save percentage and 3.21 goals against average) has been the primary option in goal for Ottawa. Anderson is averaging 26.1 saves per game and has nine wins, 20 losses, and two OT losses to his credit.
Leading the offensive attack for the visiting Senators will be Jean-Gabriel Pageau (24 goals, 16 assists) and Brady Tkachuk (18 goals, 20 assists).
Ottawa Senators vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Free Picks
Pick: SU Winner – Blue Jackets, O/U – Over
Betting Trends
For both of these teams, the game went over the total in four of their past five matchups.
The Senators are 7-17 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 12-19 in games where they serve fewer than 10 total penalty minutes.
Columbus is 0-4 in games decided by a shootout this season while Ottawa is 0-5 in shootouts.
Columbus is ranked 27th in the NHL with 6.3 takeaways per game. That figure’s trended lower recently, however, as the team has created 4.6 takeaways over its last 10 games and 5.6 takeaways over its last five.
Ottawa is ranked 26th this season with 6.4 takeaways per game. That figure has trended lower lately, however, as it’s forced 5.6 takeaways over its last 10 games and 5.8 takeaways over its last five.
