The Florida Panthers (41-24-3) travel to face off against the Columbus Blue Jackets (31-28-8) on Thursday, March 20th. This game will be played at Nationwide Arena in Columbus and televised on ESPN+. The Panthers 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.

Panthers vs Blue Jackets

The Florida Panthers Are Coming Off A Win

Florida improved to 41-24-3 with a 4-2 win over the Stars. The Panthers covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 6 goals fell short of the 6.5 line.

All four of Florida’s goals came from different players. Evan Rodrigues opened the scoring at 5:15 in the first period, and the Panthers added two more goals after the Stars tied it up in the second.

The Columbus Blue Jackets Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Columbus dropped to 31-28-8 after a 7-2 road 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, but the combined 9 goals easily surpassed that mark. Columbus, as the underdog on the puck line, failed to cover.

Columbus didn’t score until 49 seconds into the second period, when they were already down 5-0. Damon Severson and Kevin Labanc each scored for the Blue Jackets. Columbus had 36 shots on goal, while the Capitals managed 22. Goalie Daniil Tarasov made 15 saves, finishing with a 68.2% save percentage.

Florida Offense Breakdown

Florida’s offense tallied 4 goals in their 4-2 win over the Stars, with A.J. Greer netting his first goal of the season at 17:28 in the third period. Sam Reinhart added his 10th goal on an empty net with 1:00 left in the game.

Carolina took 25 shots on goal and recorded 16 giveaways. The Panthers scored once in the first period and added a second goal at 11:13 in the second, with Matthew Tkachuk’s third goal of the season coming on a power play.

Blue Jackets Offense Breakdown

Columbus fired 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, netting his 4th goal of the season. Kevin Labanc followed with his 2nd goal of the year.

Columbus registered 13 giveaways and went scoreless in the first and third periods. Their two goals came in the second period, with the first coming 49 seconds in.

Florida Team Defense

Florida’s defense gave up two goals in their previous game, both coming in the second period. Spencer Knight made 23 saves with a 92% save percentage, and the Panthers’ defense finished with 8 takeaways and 22 hits.

Columbus Team Defense

Columbus’ defense struggled early, giving up five goals in the first period, including one just 56 seconds in. Despite closing the gap to 6-2 in the second period, they allowed another goal late in the third, leading to a 7-2 loss. Daniil Tarasov made 15 saves with a 68.2% save percentage.

Panthers vs Blue Jackets Trends

• Through their last ten road contests, the Panthers offense has averaged 2 goals per game while allowing an average of 2. Florida posted an overall record of 4-6 while going 3-7 ATS.
• Although Columbus has a straight up record of 5-5 in their last ten home games, they have not held up as well vs the puck line going 8-2. The team averaged 2 goals per game in these games.
• Spanning across their last three games as the betting underdog, the Blue Jackets have gone 1-2 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 0-3.
• In their last three games as the betting favorite, the Panthers have a straight up record of 1-2 and an puck line mark of 0-3.

Panthers vs Blue Jackets Prediction

If you’re looking for a moneyline pick, my choice is the Blue Jackets to take down the Panthers at home. With the moneyline currently at +156, I’m placing my bet on the Blue Jackets straight-up.

Our projections have the Blue Jackets pulling out a win as the underdog. But if you’re not as bullish as we are on the Blue Jackets, we’d recommend at least getting a bet down on them to cover the puck line.

For those looking at the over/under line set at 6 goals, our expectation is that this game will surpass that mark, and we suggest making a bet 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.