Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Montreal Canadiens Betting Preview
Where: Centre Bell, Montreal
When: Tuesday, February 28, 2017 – 7:30 PM ET
Line: Columbus Blue Jackets (-115) vs. Montreal Canadiens (-105); total: 5.0 – view all NHL lines
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Betting on the Columbus Blue Jackets (39-16-5)
The Blue Jackets should be on a roll entering the contest. They are winners of back-to-back games and have outscored opponents, 12-2, during that span.
Adding to that momentum is the absolute obliteration that they did to the Canadiens months back. The emphatic 10-0 victory in early November was Columbus’s franchise record for most goals in a game, and it featured Cam Atkinson, Nick Foligno, and Scott Harnell each finding the back of the net twice. They battled Montreal several weeks after and came out victorious again, 2-1.
Atkinson’s 29 goals is tied for fifth in the league, and he joins Foligno and a couple of other players in being eighth overall in power play goals, with 10. The team’s best facilitator, meanwhile, Alexander Wennenberger has 40 assists, which is fifth in the NHL.
Through their production, the Blue Jackets are one of the association’s best offenses today, as they are top four in goals (199), points (83), power play percentage (22.2).
Their defense aren’t pushovers as well. Led by goalies Sergei Borbovsky, Joonas Korpisalo, and Curtis McElhinney, who all have a save percentage above 91, the team is ranking in the top five in goals against (145), power play goals against (28), and save percentage (92).
Betting on the Montreal Canadiens (34-21-8)
The Canadiens will be coming off a pair of thrilling OT wins. After surviving the pesky Maple Leafs over the weekend, they overcame a 2-0 and 3-1 deficit in the third period against the Devils Monday night, winning 4-3.
It can either exhaust or boost the psyche of the team, but either way, victories are what they need before facing a team like the Blue Jackets, who have beaten them twice this season. The aforementioned beating last November and the other defeat in late December had goalie Alex Montoya completely bamboozled, as he was the recipient of a combined 12 goals (52-for-64, 81.2 save percentage). Montoya didn’t also have a good outing last night opposite New Jersey (34-for-37, three goals allowed).
Starter Carey Price will be back on the ice tonight. His stats are bit down from last year’s, but he’s still one of the premiere goalies in the league, and we can expect him to have another good showing. Over his last four, he has a 93.3 save percentage.
Their top offensive guy, Max Pacioretty, who has three scores in his last two and is currently top three in the league in goals, with 29, will be facing another good defensive team, although he himself would also present a competitive challenge.
Key off-season acquisition Shea Weber has also been great for the team’s attack. The 12-year veteran’s 11 power play goals on the year is, as of this writing, fourth-highest in all of NHL.
Writer’s Prediction
The Blue Jackets (-115) win and sweep the season series, 3-1.
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