Winnipeg Jets vs Columbus Blue Jackets Betting Pick & Prediction 3/17/24

Planning on watching today's Jets and Blue Jackets game? Catch the action at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH, as the Blue Jackets hosts this showdown at 6:00 ET on ESPN+. The Jets come into this non-conference matchup favored by -1.5 goals. The over/under line currently sits at 6 goals.

WINNIPEG JETS VS COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Columbus Blue Jackets +1.5

This game will be played at Nationwide Arena at 6:00 ET on Sunday, March 17th.

WHY BET THE COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS:

• Even though they are considered 1.5-goal underdogs, our projection points to a 4-2 win for the Blue Jackets.
• We like the Blue Jackets on the moneyline (+207)
• The Blue Jackets are also our pick on the spread at +1.5

Do the Jets Have What it Takes to Win as Road Favorites?

Through 66 games, the Jets have a record of 42-19-5 and are currently in 4th place in the Western Conference standings. In games against other Western Conference teams, Winnipeg has gone 25-15 this season, and they have gone 16-6 against divisional opponents.

On the road, the Jets have gone 19-10-3 this season and have been favored in 46 of their 66 games. Overall, they have gone 34-9-3 as the favorite.

On the road this season, the Jets have gone 16-16 vs. the puck line, and their average scoring margin is +.3 goals per game. So far, they have 30 wins by multiple goals compared to just 12 wins by a single goal.

Winnipeg's overall puck line record is 35-31, and they have gone 24-22 vs. the puck line as the favorite. In their last ten games, the Jets have a puck line record of 6-4.

This season, Winnipeg's games have an average of 5.5 goals per game. The average over/under number for the season is 5.9. The Jets come in with an over/under performance of 25-34-7.

Across their last three road contests, Winnipeg has been good against the puck line posting a mark of 2-1. Their overall mark in these games was 2-1, while averaging 2 goals per game.

Offensively, the Jets come into the game at 3.1 goals per contest placing 18th in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are in 17th position in the league. This season, the Jets have a 20-10 record in games where they outshoot their opponent. In games with fewer shots on goal, they hold a 21-9 record.

Winnipeg's leading scorer is Tyler Toffoli. So far, he has 28 goals which is 25th in the NHL. Along with his scoring, he has come up with 18 assists so far.

Columbus defense takes on the Jets ranked 1st in goals allowed. On average, opponents are averaging 33.3 shots per game against Columbus. They also are 29th in shutouts, with 1 shutouts.

Goalie Connor Hellebuyck gets the start and has made 48 starts this season. His record at this point is 30-15, and his save percentage is 0.973%.

Can Columbus Deliver Being Underdogs at Home?

At home this season, the Blue Jackets have gone 13-17-5, and overall, they have a record of 23-34-11. In the Eastern Conference, Columbus is in 16th place and 8th in the Metropolitan Division. In their last ten games, the Blue Jackets are 4-6, and over their last five, they are 2-3. For the season, Columbus has been the underdog in 60 of their 68 games, and they have a record of 19-31-10 as the underdog.

Over their last three games, the Blue Jackets have gone 1-2, and they are currently on a three-game losing streak as the underdog. Against other teams from the Eastern Conference, Columbus has gone 10-31 this season.

As the underdog, the Blue Jackets have a puck line record of 36-24 this season, and their average scoring differential as the underdog is -.8 goals per game. So far, Columbus has 26 losses by more than one goal compared to 18 losses by one goal.

At home, the Blue Jackets have a puck line record of 20-15, and their average scoring margin at home is -.5 goals per contest. Currently, Columbus' puck line win streak at home is at five games, and their overall puck line record is 39-28.

The average goal total for Columbus' games is sitting at 6.5. The average over/under line for the season is 6.5. The Blue Jackets come in with an over/under record of 31-33-3.

When looking at their past three road matchups, Winnipeg has an puck line record of 2-1 while averaging 2 per game. The team went 2-1 overall in these games.

When looking at their offense, the Blue Jackets have an average of 2.9 goals per game this season, positioning themselves 24th in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are ranked 20th in the league. In terms of power play goals, the Blue Jackets offense is 32nd in power play goals. As for shorthanded goals, they are 29th in the NHL.

Columbus' current leading scorer is Boone Jenner. This season, he has 21 goals, which puts him 74th in the NHL. Along with his scoring, he has come up with 11 assists so far.

Defensively, the Blue Jackets come into the season ranked 1st in goals allowed. Opponents are averaging 33.3 shots per game against Columbus. For the season, they are ranked 29th in shutouts, coming in with 1 shutouts.

Goalie Elvis Merzlikins comes into the game having made 36 starts this season. So far, his record is 12-14 and he has a save percentage of 0.809%.