NHL betting preview (March 21): Blue Jackets vs. Penguins odds
Join Daily Faceoff’s Andy MacNeil as he handicaps Friday’s matchup between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Pittsburgh Penguins.
Blue Jackets vs. Penguins Odds
- Columbus Blue Jackets Moneyline: +115
- Pittsburgh Penguins Moneyline: -135
- Puck Line: Blue Jackets +1.5 (-225), Penguins -1.5 (+185)
- Game Total: 6 (Over -130, Under +100)
Game odds via Sports Interaction.
Handicapping the Blue Jackets (31-37 SU, 41-27 ATS, 38-28-2 O/U)
The slumping Columbus Blue Jackets aim to sweep their season series against their Metropolitan Division rival in Friday’s lone game. Columbus defeated the Penguins 6-2 on Nov. 15 and 3-2 in a shootout on Jan. 7. Though the Blue Jackets are 4-6 in their last 10 games against Pittsburgh, they have won three straight meetings.
Columbus extended its losing streak to five games with a 1-0 overtime loss to Florida on Thursday. It was the fourth time in seven games they’ve been shut out, and they are 1-7 straight up since March 4. As a result, the Blue Jackets now trail the Montreal Canadiens by three points for the Eastern Conference’s second wild card spot.
Offense has been a major issue, with only two teams scoring fewer goals than Columbus in March. Defensively, only six teams have allowed more goals per 60 minutes. The Blue Jackets controlled nearly 57 percent of expected goals at five-on-five in February, but their share has dropped nine percentage points since March, ranking them among the league’s bottom 10 in shot share.
Special teams have also struggled. Columbus has converted just 6.5 percent of its power plays since Feb. 1 and ranks among the league’s bottom 10 on the penalty kill since March 1.
Handicapping the Penguins (28-42 SU, 34-36 ATS, 36-31-3 O/U)
Pittsburgh wraps up a five-game homestand Friday before heading on a three-game road trip. This matchup is one of just five remaining home games for the Penguins, who sit only six points ahead of last-place Buffalo.
The Penguins have the worst goal differential (-50) in the Eastern Conference, largely due to poor goaltending. Only one team has allowed more goals per 60 minutes this season. While their defensive play has improved since the new year, they still rank among the league’s bottom 10. However, goaltender Tristan Jarry, who was sent to the minors in mid-January, has won four of five games since being recalled.
Jarry has posted a .928 save percentage and a 2.40 goals-against average since rejoining the team, a significant improvement over his .884 Sv% and 3.31 GAA before his demotion. The 29-year-old has saved 3.18 goals above expected since returning, after costing the team nearly nine goals in his first 22 games.
Before this recent 4-1-0 stretch, however, the Penguins had won just one of their previous nine games, and according to Evolving Hockey, their play in March has been subpar. They have faced a tough schedule this month, but over nine games, they’ve controlled just 46.86 percent of shot attempts and 44.87 percent of expected goals.
That said, the Penguins are in a decent position to win Friday’s game due to the schedule. Not only are the Blue Jackets playing the second half of a back-to-back, the Penguins have had two days off.
Best bets for Blue Jackets vs. Penguins
- Sidney Crosby Over 2.5 Shots On Goal (-135) at Sports Interaction
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby leads the team in shots on goal this season, and Friday’s matchup with Columbus is a favorable spot for him to register three or more shots. He has hit that mark in just five of his last 10 games, but Pittsburgh has faced a tougher schedule recently. Meanwhile, Columbus has allowed the second-most shots on goal per 60 minutes this month, and Crosby has recorded three or more shots in seven of his last 10 games against the Blue Jackets.