The Anaheim Ducks (14-8-5) travel east on Thursday as they prepare to battle the Columbus Blue Jackets (13-11-0) at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH. The game is scheduled to begin at 7 P.M. EST.
The Ducks last defeated Buffalo on the road by a final score of 2-0 on Tuesday. Columbus also last played on Tuesday when they came up just short in a 5-4 loss against Toronto.
The Blue Jackets enter Thursday ranked fifth in the Metropolitan Division while Anaheim places second in the Pacific.
Ducks at Blue Jackets Stats
Looking at the Ducks stats
Anaheim has enjoyed a successful campaign as we head into mid-December. They have seen a couple of pleasant surprises on their roster while their stars have mostly lived up to expectations.
Troy Terry has been fantastic with a team-leading 15 goals to go along with 11 assists. Terry has been effective whether he is the one taking the shot or not. Because of his strong play, he has accumulated a plus-minus of 3 and a total of 26 points.
Goalie Josh Gibson has been solid as a net protector. He has a 10-6 record with a .914 save percentage and a 2.69 GAA (goals against average).
Anaheim ranks fifth overall as a collective unit in goals scored with 88 on the season. They also rank 8th in assists with a total of 145 and 8th in shooting percentage with a mark of .103.
Anaheim has a total of 33 points which is just two behind first-place Calgary in the Pacific Division who has 35. A win on Thursday would inch them closer to that coveted first place spot.
Looking at the Blue Jackets stats
Columbus has endured a fairly mediocre 2021 season. But they are two games over .500 and have looked extremely sharp as a team at times this year. However, they have simply featured too many inconsistencies to become a dominant team.
Boone Jenner leads the Blue Jackets in goals with 11. Jenner has added 5 assists and totaled 16 points.
Goalie Elvis Merzlikins has produced a solid 10-5 record with a .915 save percentage and a 2.95 GAA. Columbus needs him to be at the top of his game if they have any shot of slowing down this extraordinary Anaheim offense.
The Blue Jackets rank 13th in goals scored and 23rd in goals allowed. However, the team does rank 5th in shooting percentage with an impressive mark of .110. While they may not score as many goals as other teams, they make each shot count for something.
Columbus will look to upset the Ducks on their home ice.
Betting Trends for Ducks at Blue Jackets
- Anaheim is 23-4 ATS this season.
- The Ducks are 10-2 ATS on the road in 2021.
- Columbus is 15-9 ATS this year.
- The Blue Jackets are 9-3 ATS at home in 2021.
- The Ducks have won four of the past five meetings SU against the Blue Jackets.
Who to Bet Anaheim Ducks at Columbus Blue Jackets
The majority of top sportsbooks list Anaheim as the team to beat in this matchup. They have one of the best offenses in the league while Columbus has surrendered their fair share of goals this season. The odds lean heavily in the Ducks’ favor.
Take the Ducks -1.5.
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