Columbus Blue Jackets vs New York Rangers NHL Betting Prediction

NHL Blue Jackets vs New York Rangers Prediction 1/18/2025

The Columbus Blue Jackets (22-17-6) travel to face off against the New York Rangers (21-20-3) on Saturday, January 18th. This game will be played at Madison Square Garden in New York and televised on ESPN+. The Rangers 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.

Blue Jackets vs Rangers

columbus blue jackets nhl

The Columbus Blue Jackets Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Columbus dropped to 22-17-6 after a 7-2 loss to the Capitals. The Blue Jackets’ defense struggled from the start, allowing five goals in the first period. Going into the game, the total was set at 6.5 goals, and the combined 9 goals easily went over. Columbus, as the underdog on the puck line, failed to cover.

Both of the Blue Jackets’ goals came in the second period, after the Capitals had already scored the first five. Damon Severson got Columbus on the board at 19:11 in the second, and Kevin Labanc added another at 5:24. The Capitals responded with two more goals, including one in the third period, to seal the win.

The New York Rangers Are Coming Off A Win

The Rangers moved above .500 with a 5-2 road win over the Islanders, bringing their record to 21-20-3. New York covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, with the total of 7 goals surpassing the pre-game line of 6.

Four different players contributed to the Rangers’ scoring, with Artemi Panarin leading the way with two goals. Chris Kreider opened the scoring at 16:16 in the first period, and the Rangers never trailed in the game.

Columbus Offense Breakdown

Columbus took 36 shots on goal but only found the net twice in their 7-2 loss to Washington. Damon Severson opened the scoring for the Blue Jackets with his 4th goal of the season, while Kevin Labanc added his 2nd goal, both coming in the second period.

Columbus had 13 giveaways and recorded 3 assists in the game. Sean Monahan picked up his 5th assist of the season, and Zach Aston-Reese added his 2nd. Adam Fantilli also contributed with his 4th assist.

Rangers Offense Breakdown

new york rangers

Artemi Panarin led the way with two goals, including his 9th of the season on an empty net and his 8th on a power play. Chris Kreider opened the scoring with his 8th goal, coming on a shorthanded opportunity. Vincent Trocheck added his 4th goal of the season, while Adam Edstrom netted his 1st.

Mika Zibanejad picked up three assists, bringing his total to 8 for the season. The Rangers fired 40 shots on goal and recorded 14 giveaways in the game.

Columbus Team Defense

Defensively, Columbus struggled, allowing 7 goals on just 22 shots from Washington. Goalie Daniil Tarasov finished with a 68.2% save percentage, making 15 saves. The Blue Jackets’ defense also recorded 10 takeaways, 17 hits, and 10 blocks, but they couldn’t stop the Capitals from scoring five times in the first period and adding two more goals later in the game.

New York Team Defense

Defensively, the Rangers will look to carry over their strong 3rd period from their previous game, where they held the Islanders scoreless. Igor Shesterkin made 35 saves, finishing with a 94.6% save percentage. The Rangers’ defense also contributed with 10 takeaways, 19 hits, and 18 blocks.

Blue Jackets vs Rangers Trends

  • When looking at their past five road matchups, Columbus has an puck line record of 3-2 while averaging 2 per game. The team went 2-3 overall in these games.
  • In their last three home games, New York has averaged 3 goals per game while allowing 2. The team’s record in this stretch was 2-1 while going 2-1 vs. the spread.
  • Spanning across their last five games as the betting underdog, the Rangers have gone 4-1 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 2-3.
  • Although the Blue Jackets have a strong straight up record in their last three games as the betting favorite, they have not done as well vs the puck line going 1-2.

Blue Jackets vs Rangers Prediction

For a moneyline bet, we have the Rangers as the likely winner. However, with the current odds at -190, I’d suggest considering a puck line bet, as our predictions have the Rangers winning by more than one goal.

For a puck line prediction, our preference is the Rangers to secure a win and cover. Anticipate the Rangers to win this one by multiple goals over the Blue Jackets.

When considering the over/under line, which is currently at 6.5 goals, we believe that this game will remain below that figure, and we recommend wagering on the under.


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


* 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.