Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Prediction, Odds and Key Players for March 30
The Pittsburgh Penguins travel to Ohio to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight, for the second time in three days. The Penguins arose victorious last time out, battling out a 3-2 victory on home ice at PPG Paints Arena, and are looking to build off that to make one final playoff push before it’s too late.
The Columbus Blue Jackets on the other hand are not making a playoff push, and have had a season that many fans want to forget about as soon as possible. Worse off, the odds aren’t exactly in their favour for the season to get any better tonight, as they have only been able to defeat the Penguins once in their previous 10 head-to-head clashes.
Can the Blue Jackets avenge their recent loss and play spoiler on the Penguins late playoff push? Here’s the betting breakdown from Nationwide Arena, alongside a best bet for tonight’s action.
New FanDuel Sportsbook users! Don’t miss out on this offer that is giving new users $200 in bonus bets when they win their first bet of just $5! Get started below.
Penguins vs. Blue Jackets Odds, Spread and Total
Penguins vs. Blue Jackets Betting Trends
- Pittsburgh is 33-39 ATS this season.
- Columbus is 41-32 ATS this season.
- Pittsburgh are 22-16-6 as favourites this season.
- Columbus are 19-36-11 as underdogs this season.
Penguins vs. Blue Jackets How to Watch
- Date: Saturday, March 30
- Game Time: 7 p.m. EST
- Venue: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH
- How to Watch (TV): ESPN+, BSOH, and Sportsnet PT
- Pittsburgh Penguins Record: 32-30-10
- Columbus Blue Jackets Record: 23-38-12
Penguins vs Blue Jackets Key Players to Watch
Pittsburgh Penguins
Sidney Crosby: Is there really anyone else? Sidney Crosby has remained one of the few bright spots on this struggling Penguins team this season. At 36-years-old, the “Kid” is showing no signs of slowing down, with 78 points in 72 games, and 35 of them being goals. It may not be the Philadelphia Flyers, but historically, Crosby has been dominant against the Blue Jackets too, recording 59 points in 41 career games against Columbus. This also includes 6 points in 3 games this season. Any last surge for a playoff spot has to happen now for the Penguins, and there’s no one else who can lead this team quite like Sidney Crosby.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Johnny Gaudreau: While the Penguins may be struggling, the Blue Jackets are in a whole other league. Sitting at dead-last in the Eastern Conference, 10 points back of the Montreal Canadiens, there hasn’t been much for Blue Jackets fans to cheer about this season. While merely a shell of his former-self from his days with the Calgary Flames, Johnny Gaudreau has put together a solid season for himself, leading the Blue Jackets with 54 points in 73 games. More important to note is his recent play, as he’s been able to accumulate 15 points in his last 21 games. There may not be much left to play for, for the Blue Jackets, but “Johnny Hockey” looks determined to finish the season on a high, which is a dangerous sight for any team across the ice.
Penguins vs Blue Jackets Prediction and Pick
The Penguins enter the game as betting favorites (-170), and rightfully so. Pittsburgh are obviously not the same team that won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017, but they still boast a roster filled with talent, experience, and players who know how to get the job done when push comes to shove.
Crosby, who has nine points in his last three games, and Evgeni Malkin, who scored two goals last time out against the Blue Jackets, have really stepped up lately. Alex Nedelijkovic will get the nod in-between the pipes for his fifth start in six games in place of a struggling Tristan Jarry. During this span the 28-year-old netminder has been solid, going 3-0-1, including a win over the Blue Jackets, with a .912 save percentage.
Conversely, the Columbus Blue Jackets, who enter the matchup as betting underdogs (+145), have faced their fair share of challenges this season, struggling to find consistency amidst injuries and lineup adjustments. Plagued by injuries to key players Yegor Chinakhov, Patrik Laine, Adam Fantilli, and Justin Danforth, the Blue Jackets will be lacking the talent to compete with the Penguins lineup across the ice. Elvis Merzlikins will guard the cage for the Blue Jackets, attempting to snap a five-game winless streak, and try to get his struggling season, where he has recorded a 3.47 goals against average, and a .897 save percentage, back on track.
The moral of the story on Saturday night is that the Penguins have won two out of their last three games, while the Blue Jackets are on a six-game slide.
Even more so, the Blue Jackets hold a 13-18-5 record at home, meaning they don’t hold any significant advantage at their own barn. At this point, all signs point towards the Penguins getting the victory on Saturday night. The key will be special teams play as both teams struggle in that regard, holding a 14.9% power play success rate.
Pittsburgh holds the edge with a penalty kill efficiency of 81.8% to Columbus’ 76.1%, and if they translate that edge onto the ice, the Penguins can pave the way to success against the Blue Jackets for the second time in three days.