Two teams squaring off for the first time this year, the Arizona Coyotes and the Columbus Blue Jackets collide at Nationwide Arena for an East-West matchup. Fox Sports Arizona will showcase the matchup, which gets underway at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, October 23.
Arizona Coyotes at Columbus Blue Jackets Odds
Arizona (+145) is currently the underdog to Columbus (-165), and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. The line for betting that total stands at -120 for the under and +100 for the over.
The Blue Jackets are 4-3 straight up (SU) and have netted 0.1 units for moneyline bettors this season. That winning percentage, ranked 2nd in the Metropolitan Division in this young season, isn’t too far off from to the 45-37 record the team posted during the 2017-18 season campaign. Of the team’s seven games this season, four have gone over the total, while three have gone under and none have pushed. Thus far, the team’s 2-2 SU at home.
Columbus has successfully found the net on 13.8 percent of its power play opportunities so far. That’s a big drop-off from last season, when the team was ranked 25th in the league by scoring on 17.0 percent of its extra-man advantages. Its penalty kill has fallen off noticeably year-over-year as it has gone from successfully defending 75.0 percent of opponents’ power plays (ranked 29th overall last season) to 72.7 percent this year.
Columbus, as a collective unit, has been called for penalties just 3.1 times per game this season. Last year, it posted the best figure in the league with 3.1 penalties per game. After serving an average of 7.2 penalty minutes per game a season ago the team’s had to stave off opponent power plays for 6.6 minutes per matchup this year.
Averaging 26.8 saves per game with a .876 save percentage, Sergei Bobrovsky (2-3) has been the top goalkeeper for the Blue Jackets this year. If they, however, decide to give him a breather, head coach John Tortorella could roll with the undefeated Joonas Korpisalo (2-0 record, .902 save percentage, 2.95 goals against average).
Artemi Panarin and Cam Atkinson will both be focal points for the Blue Jackets. Panarin (nine points) is up to three goals and six assists while Atkinson has four goals and two assists to his name so far in the season’s early going.
On the other hand, Arizona is 2-5 straight up (SU) and has lost 3.0 units for moneyline bettors this year. A total of five of its matches have gone under the total, while one has gone over and just one has pushed. Arizona’s 2-3 SU as an away team this season.
Arizona’s scored on 10.5 percent of its power play chances this year after converting on 16.3 percent of its extra-man opportunities in 2017-18 (a mark that was ranked just 27th in the NHL). The team’s gone from killing off 79.4 percent of opponents’ power plays (ranked 18th overall last season) to 88.2 percent in 2018-19.
Arizona’s skaters have been penalized only 3.3 times per game this season. Last year, that number was at 3.3, which was the fifth-best mark in the league. After serving an average of 7.8 penalty minutes per game a year ago, the team’s been forced to stave off opponent power plays for 6.6 minutes per matchup this season.
Antti Raanta (2.32 goals against average and .911 save percentage) has been the main option in goal for Arizona. Raanta is averaging 24.0 saves per game and has two wins and four losses to his credit.
Clayton Keller (three goals, two assists) and Oliver Ekman-Larsson (zero goals, four assists) have been standout playmakers for Arizona and will lead the attack for the visiting Coyotes.
Arizona Coyotes at Columbus Blue Jackets Free Picks
Free NHL Pick: SU Winner – Blue Jackets, O/U – Over
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Notes
Betting Trends
The over has hit in four of Columbus’ last five games.
After posting a 2-5 record in games decided by a shootout last year, Arizona is off to a 1-0 start in shootouts this season. Columbus was 6-4 in shootouts last year and has yet to participate in one this time around.
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