The Chicago Blackhawks (17-31-7) travel to face off against the Columbus Blue Jackets (26-22-8) on Saturday, February 22nd. This game will be played at Nationwide Arena in Columbus and televised on ESPN+. The Blackhawks are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Blue Jackets are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Capitals. Puck drop is set for 7:00 ET.

Blackhawks vs Blue Jackets

The Chicago Blackhawks Are Coming Off A Win

Chicago improved to 17-31-7 with a 4-2 road win over the Ducks. The Blackhawks covered the puck line as underdogs, and the total of 6 goals fell short of the pre-game line of 6.5.

Four different players scored for the Blackhawks, who held a 4-1 lead until the Ducks added a goal with just 4 seconds left. Isaak Phillips opened the scoring at 7:03 in the first period.

The Columbus Blue Jackets Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Columbus dropped to 26-22-8 after a 7-2 loss to the Capitals. The Blue Jackets’ defense struggled from the start, allowing five goals in the first period. Columbus was the underdog on the puck line, and the total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, with the combined score reaching 9.

Damon Severson and Kevin Labanc scored for the Blue Jackets, but the game was never close. Severson’s goal came at 19:11 in the second period, after the Capitals had already scored five times. The Capitals added two more goals in the second and third periods.

Chicago Offense Breakdown

Chicago’s offense put 29 shots on goal and scored 4 times in their 4-2 win over the Ducks. Ryan Donato found the net for the 7th time this season, while Seth Jones added his 2nd goal. Isaak Phillips and Teuvo Teravainen also scored, with Teravainen’s goal coming on a power play. The Blackhawks had 12 giveaways.

Connor Bedard picked up 2 assists, bringing his season total to 9. Taylor Hall contributed his 4th assist of the year. The Blackhawks scored twice in the 1st period, added another in the 2nd, and capped their scoring with a goal at the 17:43 mark of the 3rd period.

Blue Jackets Offense Breakdown

Columbus fired 36 shots on goal but only managed to score twice in their 7-2 loss to Washington. Damon Severson netted his 4th goal of the season, while Kevin Labanc added his 2nd. The Blue Jackets were held scoreless in the first period before Severson got them on the board 49 seconds into the second period.

Columbus recorded 13 giveaways and didn’t convert on any power play opportunities. Adam Fantilli picked up his 4th assist of the season on Severson’s goal, and Sean Monahan added his 5th assist on Labanc’s tally.

Chicago Team Defense

On the defensive side, Arvid Söderblom made 38 saves with a 95% save percentage, helping the Blackhawks secure a 4-2 win. Chicago’s defense also recorded 6 takeaways and 5 hits. Both goals they allowed came in the 3rd period, with the second coming with just 4 seconds remaining.

Columbus Team Defense

Defensively, the Blue Jackets struggled in their last game, allowing 7 goals on 22 shots from the Capitals. Goalie Daniil Tarasov made 15 saves but finished with a 68.2% save percentage. Columbus’ defense also recorded 10 takeaways and 17 hits. The Blue Jackets gave up the first 5 goals of the game and another late in the 3rd period.

Blackhawks vs Blue Jackets Trends

• Through their last ten road contests, the Blackhawks offense has averaged 2 goals per game while allowing an average of 4. Chicago posted an overall record of 1-9 while going 5-5 ATS.
• Across their last five home contests, Columbus has been good against the puck line posting a mark of 5-0. Their overall mark in these games was 3-2, while averaging 3 goals per game.
• Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Blue Jackets have gone 7-3 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 4-6.
• Over the team’s last five games as the favorite, the Blackhawks struggled vs the puck line going just 2-3. However, they still had a straight up mark of 3-2.

Blackhawks vs Blue Jackets Prediction

If you’re looking for a straight moneyline bet, then the Blue Jackets are the way to go. However, with a payout of -181, you might consider using this bet as a leg of a parlay.

For my recommended choice in the puck line, I’m leaning towards the Blackhawks to cover. Even if the Blue Jackets secure a straight-up win, this game is expected to be tightly contested, and the Blackhawks should cover the puck line.

With an over/under line sitting at 6.5 goals, we like this game to surpass that mark and recommend getting a bet down on the over.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.