Penguins vs. Blue Jackets Pick
Are the Columbus Blue Jackets going to turn away the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins today when they meet at 6PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at YouWager, the Blue Jackets are listed as a -120 favorite to win on the moneyline. The Penguins are a +100 underdog, while the total is set at 6 goals. Columbus opened as a -125 favorite before the line was bet down slightly, while the total has risen from 5.5.
As of Sunday morning, 73 percent of public bets are being placed on the visiting Penguins. Online wager info also shows that 54 percent of bets are coming in on the over.
Pittsburgh has won the last three meetings in the series including a pair of meetings this season, but the caveat is that all three of those contests were played in Pittsburgh. The Blue Jackets have won two of the last three meetings on their home ice and the one time they time it went to overtime. Pittsburgh is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings, but take it with a grain of salt with seven of those games being hosted by the Penguins.
Pittsburgh has won four in a row, but three of the games have been on its home ice. The Penguins are 8-2 in their last 10 games, while the over has gone 7-3. Columbus has dropped two in a row and seven of its last 10. One of the losses came in a shootout and the last one in overtime, a 2-1 home defeat to the Flyers. The under has gone 6-4.
While a lot of data might suggest to take the Penguins, I prefer the Blue Jackets on their home ice here. Pittsburgh is on a back-to-back, while Columbus remained at home with a day off between games. The Blue Jackets are favored for a reason. Take them at a reasonable price.
NHL DAILY PREDICTION: COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS -125