{"id":137824,"date":"2017-04-11T06:54:29","date_gmt":"2017-04-11T10:54:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/news\/?p=137824"},"modified":"2017-04-11T10:06:08","modified_gmt":"2017-04-11T14:06:08","slug":"columbus-blue-jackets-vs-pittsburgh-penguins-2017-eastern-conference-first-round-series-predictions-picks-and-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/news\/columbus-blue-jackets-vs-pittsburgh-penguins-2017-eastern-conference-first-round-series-predictions-picks-and-preview.html","title":{"rendered":"Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Pittsburgh Penguins 2017 Eastern Conference First Round Series Predictions, Picks and Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/record.tbaffiliate.com\/_y8k7RB3Ll4xutv7iXV6HvmNd7ZgqdRLk\/19\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-89566 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/NHL-Banner-1MB.gif\" alt=\"NHL-Banner-1MB\" width=\"620\" height=\"110\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>NHL News and Predictions<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/news\/2017-nhl-draft-winners-and-losers.html\">2017 NHL Draft Winners and Losers<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/news\/2017-nhl-writers-mock-draft-predictions.html\">TopBet Writers\u2019 2017 NHL Mock Draft Projections<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/news\/2017-18-nhl-stanley-cup-futures-odds-update.html\">2017-18 NHL Season Early Stanley Cup Futures Odds<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Series Preview<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/sportsbook\/hockey\/2017-nhl-playoff-series-prices\" target=\"_blank\"><em><strong>*view all NHL Stanley Cup Playoff first-round series lines here<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Series Schedule<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Game 1:<\/strong> April 12, 7:30 PM ET, at Pittsburgh<\/li>\n<li><strong>Game 2:<\/strong> April 14, 7:00 PM ET, at Pittsburgh<\/li>\n<li><strong>Game 3:<\/strong> April 16, 6:00 PM ET, at Columbus<\/li>\n<li><strong>Game 4:<\/strong> April 18, 7:30 PM ET, at Columbus<\/li>\n<li><strong>Game 5:<\/strong> April 20, TBD<em>, <\/em>at Pittsburgh*<\/li>\n<li><strong>Game 6:<\/strong> April 23, TBD<em>, <\/em>at Columbus<em>*<\/em><\/li>\n<li><strong>Game 7:<\/strong> April 25, TBD, at Pittsburgh*<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 (*if necessary)<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Regular Season Head-to-Head<\/h3>\n<p>The teams both went 1-1-2 in their four regular season matchups, although the Jackets had the slight edge in scoring over those four games, 13-10.<\/p>\n<h3>Why the Blue Jackets Will Win the Series (<a href=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/sportsbook\/hockey\/2017-nhl-playoff-series-prices\" target=\"_blank\">+150<\/a>)<\/h3>\n<p>The Jackets will have soon-to-be two-time Vezina winning goalie Sergei Bobrovsky between the sticks. Bob has been excellent all season long, leading the league with a .933 save percentage. If any goalie can get hot enough to singlehandedly stop Sidney Crosby and the Pens\u2019 outstanding forwards, it\u2019s got to be Bob.<\/p>\n<p>The Jackets\u2019 offense didn\u2019t end the season on a particularly high note \u2013 which was a big reason why they lost six of their last seven regular season games \u2013 but they will get to go up against a Pens blue line that will be riddled by injury. The biggest one is obviously to Kris Letang, and Olli Maata is also banged up with a hand injury.<\/p>\n<p>Brandon Saad is a proven playoff performer, and he will relish getting back to this stage as the wise vet leading the Blue Jackets\u2019 mostly young group. He and the other members of Columbus\u2019 hardworking forward group will work like hell to get Crosby and co. out of their game.<\/p>\n<h3>Why the Penguins Will Win the Series\u00a0(<a href=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/sportsbook\/hockey\/2017-nhl-playoff-series-prices\" target=\"_blank\">-180<\/a>)<\/h3>\n<p>Even with their banged-up blue line and injuries to forwards Carl Hagelin and Chris Kunitz, the defending champs still have a couple of things going for them.<\/p>\n<p>First, of course, is the fact that they have the runner-up for the Art Ross and the best player in the world in Crosby leading their attack. His old pal Evgeni Malkin hasn\u2019t played since March 15 due to an upper-body injury, but he\u2019s coming back and should be fairly well rested. The other guys on their forward group \u2013 Phil Kessel, Conor Sheary, Patric Hornqvist \u2013 are also pretty good, and will be going up against a similarly banged-up Blue Jackets blue line that could be without Zach Werenski.<\/p>\n<p>Second, they have a proven playoff performer in goalie Matt Murray, who had a legitimate claim for the Conn Smythe after his excellent .923 save percentage in last season\u2019s Cup run. He posted an identical .923 save percentage in his first full season in the NHL as well. Despite Bobrovsky\u2019s growing hardware collection, he hasn\u2019t been as great in the playoffs (.890 save percentage in 13 playoff games), so the Jackets\u2019 apparent edge in goalie might not be as significant after all.<\/p>\n<p>And third, they will get to play Game 7 at home. The Pens had the second-best home win percentage\u00a0in the entire league this season, as they went 31-6-4.<\/p>\n<h3>Writer\u2019s Prediction<\/h3>\n<p>The Penguins\u00a0(<a href=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/sportsbook\/hockey\/2017-nhl-playoff-series-prices\" target=\"_blank\">-195<\/a>) will be pushed all the way by the upstart Jackets, but Crosby and the champs survive after seven grueling games.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/record.tbaffiliate.com\/_y8k7RB3Ll4xutv7iXV6HvmNd7ZgqdRLk\/6\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"broken_link\" rel=\"nofollow\">Create a betting account now<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0start placing stakes on all the heart-stopping action from the Stanley Cup Playoffs!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/record.tbaffiliate.com\/_y8k7RB3Ll4xutv7iXV6HvmNd7ZgqdRLk\/19\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-89566 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/NHL-Banner-1MB.gif\" alt=\"NHL-Banner-1MB\" width=\"620\" height=\"110\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"pvc_stats all \" data-element-id=\"137824\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-prefix=\"far\" data-icon=\"chart-bar\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" class=\"svg-inline--fa fa-chart-bar fa-w-16 fa-2x\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M396.8 352h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V108.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v230.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm-192 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V140.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v198.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm96 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V204.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v134.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zM496 400H48V80c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16H16C7.16 64 0 71.16 0 80v336c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h464c8.84 0 16-7.16 16-16v-16c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16zm-387.2-48h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 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6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm-192 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V140.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v198.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm96 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V204.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v134.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zM496 400H48V80c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16H16C7.16 64 0 71.16 0 80v336c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h464c8.84 0 16-7.16 16-16v-16c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16zm-387.2-48h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8v-70.4c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v70.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8z\" class=\"\"><\/path><\/svg><\/i> &nbsp;2,239&nbsp;total views, &nbsp;1&nbsp;views today<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":138107,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[393,45],"tags":[15336,24439,24440,1039,24462,24463,24464,24459,24460,24461,12094,12747,650,6253,24441,715,249,3682,3529,3555,3540],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v16.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Blue Jackets vs Penguins Eastern Conference Round 1 Series Predictions<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Predictions, picks and preview for the 2017 Eastern Conference First Round Series between Columbus and Pittsburgh, from TopBet online sportsbook.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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