The New York Islanders visit the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight in a game with huge playoff implications for both teams. After surprisingly leading the Metropolitan Division through much of the season, the Islanders have slipped one point behind the Washington Capitals for the division lead and are also tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins for second place in the Metro. The Blue Jackets are 9 points back of the Isles and Pens, but their bigger concern is securing a wild card berth in the competitive Eastern Conference. Despite loading up with some major acquisitions at the trade deadline and opting to keep impending free-agent star Artemi Panarin, Columbus has struggled recently and comes into action tonight two points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final playoff spot in the East.
At the start of the season with New York coming off yet another non-playoff season, it was normal to see the Isles catching this kind of price on the road. Not after New York caught fire under new head coach Barry Trotz, however, using a renewed commitment to defense to catapult to the top of the Metropolitan Division standings. This is the biggest New York has been underdoged in nearly two months, a February 5 visit to Boston. Meanwhile, Columbus was a -180 road favorite Sunday in Vancouver, but prior to that, we hadn’t seen the Jackets priced this high since a March 5 win in New Jersey 10 games ago. The moneyline value here certainly looks to be on the Islanders.
When it comes to the total, the Under is the obvious play here between a pair of teams playing a lot of low-scoring hockey lately. Columbus has gone Under the total in 9 of its last 10 games, while the Isles have stayed low in eight of their last nine. Whether or not there’s value in playing the Under here, however, is up for debate. Bookies have left this total at 5.5 instead of dropping it down to 5, but you’ll have to pay nearly -140 juice in order to back the Under play here. I’m always apprehensive of paying that type of juice on an Under, knowing that a late empty-netter can easily turn a 3-2 game into a 4-2 final.
I’m normally all about value, but this is a game the Blue Jackets simply need to have and I think it shows tonight. New York technically needs a win as well, but the Isles have the insurance of already being in the playoffs, plus they’re playing their fourth game in six nights. Columbus broke out offensively Sunday in Vancouver, and I expect the Jackets to carry that momentum into tonight against a tired opponent. I’m picking the Columbus Blue Jackets on the 3-Way Moneyline at SportsBetting.ag at -105 odds (which requires Columbus to win this game in regulation time.)
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