The Columbus Blue Jackets (11-18-6) travel to face off against the New Jersey Devils (17-13-2) on Wednesday, December 27th. This game will be played at Prudential Center in Newark. The Devils 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 Maple Leafs. Puck drop is set for 7:00 ET.

Columbus Blue Jackets vs New Jersey Devils

The Columbus Blue Jackets Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

So far this season, the Blue Jackets have an overall record of 11-18-6. On the road, Columbus is 4-8-3 and 7-10-3 at home. In the Eastern Metropolitan division, they are currently 8th, and in the Eastern conference, they come into the game sitting 15th. This season, Columbus’ average scoring margin is -0.6, which has their puck line record at 21-14. Their average home scoring margin is -0.5, and in road games, it stands at -0.7.

The Blue Jackets are looking to bounce back from a 4-1 loss at home to the Maple Leafs. The Blue Jackets offense struggled in the first and third periods versus the Maple Leafs, but they did score one time in the second period. For the game, Columbus’ only goal came at even strength. Overall, they had 28 shots on goal vs. Toronto.

Entering the game as the underdog, Columbus not only suffered a straight-up loss but also failed to cover the puck line. The over/under line for the game was 7, and it concluded with a combined total of 5 goals.

The New Jersey Devils Are Coming Off A Win

Facing the Blue Jackets, the Devils have a record of 17-13-2 so far. At home, their record is 7-8-2 and 10-5-0 on the road. This record has them sitting 6th in the Eastern Metropolitan division and 10th in the Eastern conference. New Jersey heads into the game with seven wins by more than one goal, and lost 11 games by multiple goals. Their overall puck line record this season is 8-24.

In their last game, the Devils were the hosts against the Red Wings, and they came away with a 3-2 win. The Devils scored one goal in the first period against the Red Wings and found the net two times in the 3rd period. In the game, New Jersey managed to score all three goals at even strength. They concluded with 36 shots on goal and committed 2 turnovers.

Despite the straight-up win, New Jersey did not cover the puck line, as they were favored by -1.5. With a combined total of 5 goals, the game concluded below the over/under line of 7.

Columbus Offense Breakdown

On the offensive side, the Blue Jackets are scoring an 3.1 goals per game this season, ranking 11th in the NHL. When it came to shots on target per game, they are 12th in the league. This season, the Blue Jackets are 3-4 when getting more shots on goal than their opponents. And in games with fewer shots on goal, they have a 8-14 record.

This season, the Blue Jackets’ have an over/under record of 20-15-0. Throughout the season, they have played 15 games that did not exceed the 7 over/under line. On average, their games are averaging 6.7 goals per game.

New Jersey Offense Breakdown

The Devils come into the game scoring an average of 3.4 goals per game, putting them 10th in the NHL. Regarding shots targeted at the goal per game, they are 15th in the league. The New Jersey offense is ranked 6th in power play goals. As for shorthanded goals, they find themselves at 22nd in the NHL.

So far, the Devils have an over/under record of 20-12-0. Coming into the game, they have played 13 games that went beyond the 7 over/under line. Their games, on average, had 7 goals per game.

Columbus Team Defense

The Blue Jackets’ defense comes into the game with a ranking of 18th in takeaways and an average of 6 takeaways per contest. They hold 3rd place in the NHL for goals allowed, with an average of 3.3 goals given up per game.

New Jersey Team Defense

The Devils’ defense comes into the game with a ranking of 13th in takeaways and an average of 7.2 takeaways per contest. They hold 27th place in the NHL for goals allowed, with an average of 3.2 goals given up per game.

Blue Jackets vs Devils Trends

• The Blue Jackets are 2-1 puck line in their three last road games and 2-1 straight-up.
• In their last five home games, New Jersey has averaged 3 goals per game while allowing 3. The team’s record in this stretch was 4-1 while going 3-2 vs. the spread.
• As the betting underdog, the Devils have an puck line mark of just 2-3 in their last five games. New Jersey posted a straight up mark of 2-3 in these matchups.
• In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Blue Jackets have a straight up record of 1-4 and an puck line mark of 1-4.

Blue Jackets vs Devils Prediction

When it comes to a straight moneyline bet, look no further than the Devils. Nevertheless, given the payout of -254, you could also think about incorporating this bet into a parlay.

My recommended pick for the puck line is to take the Blue Jackets to cover. Even if the Devils 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 7 goals, we believe that this game will go over that threshold, and we recommend wagering on the over.

---

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.