The Columbus Blue Jackets (30-24-8) travel to face off against the New York Rangers (31-26-6) on Sunday, March 9th. 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 6:00 ET.

Blue Jackets vs Rangers

The Columbus Blue Jackets Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Columbus fell to 30-24-8 after a 7-2 loss to the Capitals. The Blue Jackets’ defense was overwhelmed early, giving up five goals in the first period. Going into the game, the total was set at 6.5 goals, and the combined 9 goals easily surpassed that mark. Columbus, as the underdog on the puck line, failed to cover.

Columbus didn’t score until the second period, when Damon Severson found the net at 19:11. Kevin Labanc added another goal later in the period. The Capitals scored their first goal just 56 seconds into the game, and the Blue Jackets never recovered.

The New York Rangers Are Coming Off A Win

With a 5-2 win over the Islanders, the Rangers improved to 31-26-6. The Rangers covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 7 goals went over the pre-game line of 6.

Four different players scored for the Rangers, with Artemi Panarin leading the way with two goals. They built a 2-0 lead before the Islanders got on the board, and the Rangers put the game away with two more goals in the third period.

Columbus Offense Breakdown

Columbus fired 36 shots on goal but only found the net twice in their 7-2 loss to Washington. Damon Severson scored 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.

Labanc’s goal came with 5:24 left in the second period. Sean Monahan picked up his 5th assist of the season on Labanc’s goal, and Zach Aston-Reese earned his 2nd assist. The Blue Jackets had 13 giveaways in the game.

Rangers Offense Breakdown

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, while Vincent Trocheck added his 4th. Adam Edstrom also found the net for the first time this season.

Mika Zibanejad contributed with three assists, bringing his season total to 8. The Rangers fired 40 shots on goal and scored once while shorthanded.

Columbus Team Defense

Columbus’ defense struggled in their previous game, giving up 7 goals on 22 shots from Washington. Goalie Daniil Tarasov recorded 15 saves but had a save percentage of just 68.2%. The Blue Jackets’ defense also finished with 10 takeaways and 17 hits. The first period was particularly rough, as they allowed 5 goals, with the first coming just 56 seconds into the game.

New York Team Defense

Defensively, the Rangers will look to build on a strong performance in their last game, where they allowed just two goals to the Islanders. Igor Shesterkin made 35 saves, posting a 94.6% save percentage. The Rangers also recorded 10 takeaways, 19 hits, and 18 blocks. After giving up a late goal in the 2nd period, the Rangers shut out the Islanders in the 3rd, leading to a 5-2 victory.

Blue Jackets vs Rangers Trends

• When looking at their past ten road matchups, Columbus has an puck line record of 5-5 while averaging 2 per game. The team went 4-6 overall in these games.
• In their last ten games at home, the Rangers have a straight up record of 5-5 while going 6-4 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 3 goals per game in these contests.
• In their last five games as the betting underdog, the Rangers have a straight up record of 1-4 and an puck line mark of 4-1.
• Going back to their previous ten games as the favorite, Columbus has an puck line mark of 5-5 while going 6-4 straight up.

Blue Jackets vs Rangers Prediction

When it comes to a moneyline wager, I’m going with the Rangers to defeat the Blue Jackets while playing at home. Given the current moneyline odds at -134, I’m placing a wager on the Rangers to win outright.

My recommended pick for the puck line is to take the Blue Jackets to cover. Even if the Rangers win straight-up, this one should be close throughout and the Blue Jackets should cover the puck line.

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