The Columbus Blue Jackets (3-7-0) and Colorado Avalanche (4-4-1) have both been disappointing, but one team will leave Friday afternoon’s game with a little momentum. The puck drop for the Blue Jackets vs. Avalanche score prediction is scheduled for 1 p.m. EST in a rare afternoon affair at Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland. The teams play again on Saturday in Finland.
Columbus signed the most coveted free agent, Johnny Gaudreau, in the off-season but is last in the NHL standings for the Metropolitan Division through 10 games.
The Avalanche haven’t been as bad but are surely playing below expectations. They’ve lost their last two games in the NHL schedule, and five of their last six games have been decided by one goal.
Elvis Merzlikins is the expected starter for the visiting Blue Jackets betting odds. He’s 2-4-0 with a 4.75 goals-against average (GAA) and a .864 save percentage. He hasn’t been the team’s only problem but needs to be much better.
Alexander Georgiev starts for the Avalanche. He’s 4-1-1 with a 2.81 GAA and a .918 save percentage.
Matchup Preview
Columbus better hope they have a strong showing in Finland and win the Blue Jackets vs. Avalanche score prediction because it hasn’t been a great start for the Eastern Conference team. In fact, it’s gone so poorly that a recent headline in The Columbus Dispatch read: “Columbus Blue Jackets are an embarrassment to longtime NHL observers.”
Columbus has a pair of three-game losing streaks already this season and have been outscored 17-4 in their last three games, including a 7-1 defeat to the New Jersey Devils. A road trip to Finland couldn’t come at a better time for the Blue Jackets.
The Blue Jackets are tied for 28th in the league in goals per game at just 2.6 and have allowed a league-worst 4.4 goals against per game. Their power play is the worst in the league, but fortunately, their penalty kill has been slightly better than average.
Although he hasn’t been as effective as he was in Calgary, Gaudreau still leads the team in NHL player stats with eight points. Yegor Chinakov and Kent Johnson are tied for second on the Blue Jackets with six points each.
The Avalanche, meanwhile, are fifth in the Metropolitan Division and have lost their last two games. Colorado dropped a 5-4 decision to the New York Islanders last Saturday and, the night before, lost 1-0 to the surging Devils.
For Avalanche team stats, Colorado is 14th in the league in goals per game at 3.11. This is definitely disappointing for one of the league’s top offenses last year. They’re 13th in goals against.
Not surprisingly, Nathan MacKinnon is tied for the scoring lead in Colorado with 12 points in nine games. Valeri Nichushkin also has 12 points and leads the team with seven goals. Cale Makar, surprisingly, has yet to find the back of the net this season but has eight assists.
For the Blue Jackets, Boone Jenner is on the injury report and is listed as day-to-day. Valeri Nichunshkin is also listed as day-to-day for the Avalanche.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Colorado Avalanche Odds Breakdown
Moneyline: Colorado is the moneyline favorite. BetOnline lists the team at -241, while the Blue Jackets betting odds are at +215.
Puckline: Columbus is listed at -115 on the +1.5 puckline. The Avalanche are paying out -105 on the -1.5 puckline.
Over/Under: The over/under for Blue Jackets vs. Avalanche score prediction is 6.5. The over and under payout is -122 and +111, respectively.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Colorado Avalanche Betting Preview
Blue Jackets
Columbus is just 3-7 against the spread (puckline) this season, which isn’t too surprising given they’ve been on the opposite end of some embarrassing losses. The over has hit in seven of the Blue Jackets 10 games.
Avalanche
Colorado is 4-5 against the spread, a sign that they’ve played in plenty of close games this season. The over has hit in five games, and the under has hit in four games.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Colorado Avalanche Pick and Prediction
Although both teams have been in Finland for a couple of days now, expect jetlag to play a factor in Friday’s game. This could lead to a low-scoring game. It’s also worth noting that Patrik Laine grew up playing at this stadium in Finland and should be motivated to have a strong game.
Final Score Prediction: 3-2 AvalanchePick: Under +111
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