Two of the least-penalized teams in the league, the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Arizona Coyotes take the ice at Gila River Arena for an East-West tilt. The matchup will get started at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, January 25, and you are able to see the game live on Fox Sports Arizona.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Arizona Coyotes Odds
Arizona (+100) is entering this one as the underdog to Columbus (-120), and the Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 6 goals (-130 under, +110 over).
Columbus is 26-22 straight up (SU) and has lost 1.1 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 48 regular season matches, 26 of its games have gone under the total, while 21 have gone over and just one has pushed. As a road team in 2017-18, the Jackets are 10-14 SU.
Columbus has converted on just 12.9 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a mark that’s ranked 32nd in the NHL. Its penalty kill is ranked 26th out of 31 teams, and the team’s successfully killed off only 78.0 percent of its penalties.
The Jackets, as a collective unit, have been penalized just 3.1 times per game overall this season, and 2.2 per game over its last five on the road. The team’s had to defend opponent power plays just 5.6 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Sporting a .919 save percentage and 28.4 saves per game, Sergei Bobrovsky (21-18-3) has been the best option in goal for Columbus this season. If Columbus chooses to rest him, however, the team may turn to Joonas Korpisalo (5-5), who has a .912 save percentage and 2.85 goals against average this year.
Artemi Panarin and Seth Jones will both be relied on to facilitate things for the visiting Blue Jackets. Panarin (39 points) has tallied 12 goals and 27 assists, and has recorded two or more points in seven different games. Jones has eight goals and 23 assists to his name (and has registered a point in 24 games).
Over on the other bench, Arizona is 12-37 straight up (SU) and has lost 21.5 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 49 regular season matches, 27 of its games have gone under the total, while 21 have gone over and just one has pushed. It’s 6-17 SU as the home team this season.
The Coyotes have converted on just 16.2 percent of their power play opportunities this season, a figure that places them in the bottom 10 overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 21st overall, and it’s successfully killed off 79.5 percent of all penalties.
Arizona players have been whistled for penalties only 3.0 times per game in total this season, and 1.6 per game over their last five at home. The team’s been forced to kill penalties just 4.3 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Antti Raanta has denied 25.9 shots per game as the top netminder in goal for the Coyotes. Raanta has eight wins, 19 losses, and five OT losses to his credit and has maintained a 2.58 goals against average and a .918 save percentage this season.
Clayton Keller (14 goals, 22 assists) will pace the attack for the home team.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Arizona Coyotes Betting Predictions
Predictions: SU Winner – Blue Jackets, O/U – Over
Notes
Betting Notes
Three of Arizona’s last ten games have been decided by a shootout. The team is 0-3 in those games and 1-4 overall in shootouts this year.
The under has hit in three of Arizona’s last five games.
Over Columbus’ last ten games, five of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 0-5 in those games).
This game features two of the tougher teams in the league. Columbus skaters have dished out the 12th-most hits in the league (21.8 per game) and the Coyotes have recorded the sixth-most (24.0).
