The Columbus Blue Jackets (17-17-6) travel to face off against the Pittsburgh Penguins (17-18-7) on Tuesday, January 7th. This game will be played at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh and televised on ESPN+. The Penguins 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 Penguins

The Columbus Blue Jackets Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Columbus fell to 17-17-6 after a 7-2 road loss to the Capitals. The Blue Jackets were underdogs on the puck line, and the total of 9 goals surpassed the pre-game line of 6.5.

Columbus’ defense struggled early, giving up five goals in the first period. Damon Severson scored their first goal at 19:11 in the second period, when the game was already out of reach.

The Pittsburgh Penguins Are Coming Off A Win

With a 3-1 win over the Canadiens, the Penguins moved closer to the .500 mark, now sitting at 17-18-7. Pittsburgh covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 4 goals fell short of the 6.5 set before the game.

Sidney Crosby led the way with two goals, including one in the first period. The Canadiens scored in the third period, but a late goal from Blake Lizotte sealed the win for Pittsburgh.

Columbus 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 had 13 giveaways and failed to convert on the power play. Adam Fantilli picked up his 4th assist of the season on Severson’s goal, and Sean Monahan recorded his 5th assist on Labanc’s second-period goal.

Penguins Offense Breakdown

Sidney Crosby led the way for Pittsburgh with two goals, including his fourth of the season. Blake Lizotte added his second goal, an empty-netter with 45 seconds left in the game. The Penguins took 24 shots on goal and scored their second goal on a power play.

After a 14th-minute goal in the first period, Crosby struck again early in the second. Lizotte’s empty-netter sealed the game. Pittsburgh had 14 giveaways in the matchup.

Columbus Team Defense

Columbus’s defense struggled early, giving up five goals in the first period, including one just 56 seconds into the game. They also allowed a late goal at 1:26 of the 3rd period. Goalie Daniil Tarasov made 15 saves with a 68.2% save percentage. The Blue Jackets’ defense recorded 10 takeaways and 17 hits.

Pittsburgh Team Defense

Defensively, the Penguins will look to carry over their performance from the previous game, where they allowed just one goal to the Canadiens. Alex Nedeljkovic made 25 saves, posting a 96.2% save percentage. The defense also recorded 5 takeaways, 19 hits, and 19 blocks. The only goal they allowed came at the 5:32 mark of the 3rd period.

Blue Jackets vs Penguins Trends

• In their last ten games away from home, the Blue Jackets have a straight up record of 3-7 while going 4-6 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 2 goals per game in these contests.
• Through their last ten home contests, the Penguins offense has averaged 3 goals per game while allowing an average of 3. Pittsburgh posted an overall record of 7-3 while going 7-3 ATS.
• Spanning across their last five games as the betting underdog, the Penguins have gone 3-2 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-4.
• Going back to their last three games as the favorite, the Blue Jackets have a straight up record of 1-2. But, their mark vs the puck line was just 0-3.

Blue Jackets vs Penguins Prediction

When making a moneyline pick, my choice is the Penguins to come out with a win against the Blue Jackets while playing at home. Considering the moneyline odds at -147, I’m placing my bet on the Penguins to win outright.

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

---

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.