Blue Jackets vs Panthers Odds, Picks, and Predictions Tonight: Pouncing on the Total

The Florida Panthers enter Tuesday’s contest with the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets as heavy -310 home faves, but with the season struggles of goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, is there some value on the Jackets who are looking for a season-best three-game winning streak at +250? 

Find out in my free NHL picks and predictions for Blue Jackets vs. Panthers.

Blue Jackets vs Panthers best odds

Blue Jackets vs Panthers picks and predictions

I don’t have to dig too hard into this matchup to find a best bet when the books are offering us a 6.5 Over at -120.

This is my favorite Over on the board Tuesday. These teams are a combined 33-21 O/U and with each club leaning heavily on their projected starters in net thanks to injuries, both offenses will have a chance to put up some crooked numbers tonight. 

Firstly, these teams have seen plenty of games where both sides have scored at least three goals. Combined, Florida and Columbus have seen an Over with both teams scoring at least three goals in 43% of their games. These two met in late November with the Jackets winning 5-3, clearing a 6.5 point total.

Both Sergei Bobrovksy and Elvis Merzlikins own a GAA north of 3.50 with a save percentage south of .900. Combined, the two projected goalies are 19-5 O/U on the season. 

The Panthers also see plenty of penalties called (a Top-3 rate), and with both clubs sitting in the bottom half in penalty killing, we could see more than one power-play goal tonight.

Additionally, the Columbus offense has become even more balanced, since Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine have been put on separate lines. Laine has scored four goals in his last three games and has nine points in his six since returning from injury. 

Neither team is playing winning hockey over the last 30 days and both clubs have a GAA of 3.67 or worse over that stretch. I’m seeing plenty of two-way scoring tonight, absolutely love the Over 6.5, and think it should close at -135.

My best bet: Over 6.5 (-120 at bet365)

Blue Jackets vs Panthers moneyline analysis

One year after capturing the President’s Trophy as the league’s winningest team in the regular season, the Panthers sit 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 13-14 SU record and enter tonight having lost six of their last nine games, including a pair of games over the weekend.

Bobrovsky took both losses last weekend, as Spencer Knight is dealing with an illness and just returned to practice for the first time in a week. Bettors laying the juice with the Panthers will have to stomach Bobrovsky for another game, which would be his third in four nights and fourth in eight days, as he’s the confirmed starter tonight.

Bobrovsky has a 3.58 GAA with a .884 save percentage on the season and has allowed four or more goals in eight of his 16 games. He’s held his opponent to two or fewer goals just three times this season.

Florida is still missing some key pieces as well. Alex Barkov is back, but Anton Lundell (third on the team in plus/minus at plus-9) is out and defenseman Radko Gudas is dealing with a concussion, making this blue line thinner and less physical. 

Florida hasn’t been a -310 favorite in 25 games as books have adjusted its pricing to the struggling Atlantic team. Now it faces a Columbus squad that has won back-to-back games after getting embarrassed 9-4 by the Sabres last Wednesday and opens a tough three-game road trip (FLA, TB, and BOS). 

Over the last 30 days, the Jackets have actually been the more successful team in terms of winning and losing with a 6-7 SU record vs. the Panthers’ 5-9 SU record. Barkov missed seven of those games but his return is certainly priced in here.

Neither team has an edge in terms of power play or penalty kill, as both power plays rank in the Bottom 10 while the PKs rank in the bottom half of the league.

With the Jackets using Gaudreau (22 points last 15 games) and Laine (six goals and nine points over his six games since returning from injury) on separate lines to successful results, coupled with the struggles and heavy workload for Bobrovsky, the Blue Jackets are live today at +250 and +100 on the +1.5 puck line for a more conservative bet. 

Columbus won the only meeting this season as a +225 home underdog back in late November. 

Blue Jackets vs Panthers Over/Under analysis

I like the price of the visitors today but don’t really trust either goalie.

Bobrovsky is 9-2 to the Over in his last 11 starts with a 3.94 GAA and a .872 SV%. He’s been shouldering a heavier workload than usual with Knight dealing with an illness and will be playing his third game in four nights, something the 34-year-old goalie just doesn’t do anymore.

The Jackets will likely start Elvis Merzlikins, with Joonas Korpisalo still dealing with an injury. He’s won back-to-back games but allowed five goals on Sunday and owns a GAA north of 3.50 and a save percentage well below .900. He’s also 10-3 to the Over this season across 14 starts. Only the Ducks have a worse team GAA than the Jackets, at 4.07 on the season.

Both penalty kills have also been a sore spot this year, which could play a big factor, as Florida sees more penalties per game than 29 teams. Their 4.76 penalties drawn per game and 4.82 penalties taken per game both rank as the third-highest marks in hockey. 

In their last meeting back in November, the Jackets won 5-3 in a game that saw 73 shots and two power-play goals. 

With the goaltending matchup and two teams that are seeing both teams score three goals in a combined 43% of their games, I think this is the best Over on the board today, and includes the Buffalo game that has a total of 7.

Blue Jackets vs Panthers betting trend to know

The Over is 6-0 in the last six meetings. Find more NHL betting trends for Blue Jackets vs Panthers.

Blue Jackets vs Panthers game info

Blue Jackets vs Panthers key injuries

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