Columbus (30-18-12) at Philadelphia (32-20-7)
When: Tuesday, February 18th, 2020
Where: Wells Fargo Center,
Philadelphia, PA
Time: 7:08 ET | TV: NBCS Philly
Opening Odds: Philadelphia -145/5.5
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The Metropolitan Division race is starting to get real interesting as we have less than two months left in the regular season and two of those teams in the mix will battle on Tuesday night. The suddenly slumping Columbus Blue Jackets visit the Philadelphia Flyers in the first of a home-and-home set. Columbus is tied with the New York Islanders for the all-important third place in the division, but the Flyers are just one behind the Jackets and have played one less game. Things were not looking good for the Blue Jackets in mid-December, but the club went on a tear to get back into the playoff picture, but have suddenly lost five games in a row to make the race even tighter. Three of those losses have come in overtime, so at least Columbus is getting some points out of their current slump. The Flyers come into this contest with one of the best home records in the league at 19-5-4 and recorded points in 10 of 13 games before a 5-3 loss at Tampa Bay on Saturday. Goaltender Carter Hart owns a 14-2-2 mark with a 1.65 goals-against average and .941 save percentage at Wells Fargo Center this season. Philadelphia has won each of the first two meetings this year, but the last was back on Nov. 27.
Columbus is 28th in the league with just 2.6 goals per game and have scored exactly one goal in three of their last five games. The team raced out to an early 2-0 lead on New Jersey Sunday and kept peppering Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood all night. Columbus recorded 55 shots on goal, but fell 4-3 in overtime. Rookie defenseman Andrew Peeke recorded his first NHL goal for Columbus. Zach Werenski leads all NHL defensemen with 18 goals, while RW Oliver Bjorkstrand tops the club with 19. Center Pierre-Luc Dubois, who leads the team in points (44), has five goals and 13 assists in his last 14 road contests.
The Flyers are led by one of the best two-way players in the league in center Sean Couturier, who tops the team in assists (35) and points (52), including 15 and 22, respectively, in his last 19 games. Both James van Riemsdyk and captain Claude Giroux have recorded at least a point in five straight games with the Flyers winning three of those and have scored three or more goals during that span. Van Riemsdyk has two goals and two assists in the two meetings with Columbus this season. The Flyers and Blue Jackets will have one day off before playing again in Columbus on Thursday.
These are two very big games coming up this week between these teams for both the division and wild card races. The Flyers and Hart have been outstanding at home and the Blue Jackets come in with very little momentum. I’ll take Philly in this first one.
Pick: Flyers -140
Blue Jackets are 5-0 in their last 5 Tuesday games.
Blue Jackets are 6-1 in their last 7 in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 situation.
Blue Jackets are 6-1 in their last 7 games as a road underdog.
Blue Jackets are 4-1 in their last 5 when their opponent allows 5 goals or more in their previous game.
Blue Jackets are 9-3 in their last 12 games as an underdog.
Blue Jackets are 5-2 in their last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.
Blue Jackets are 11-5 in their last 16 games playing on 1 days rest.
Blue Jackets are 0-5 in their last 5 overall.
Blue Jackets are 0-4 in their last 4 vs. Eastern Conference.
Flyers are 4-0 in their last 4 after allowing 5 goals or more in their previous game.
Flyers are 4-1 in their last 5 home games.
Flyers are 12-4 in their last 16 games as a home favorite.
Flyers are 16-7 in their last 23 vs. Eastern Conference.
Flyers are 27-12 in their last 39 games as a favorite.
Flyers are 1-4 in their last 5 games playing on 2 days rest.
Under is 6-1 in Blue Jackets last 7 when their opponent allows 5 goals or more in their previous game.
Under is 13-3 in Blue Jackets last 16 games playing on 1 days rest.
Under is 20-7 in Blue Jackets last 27 vs. Metropolitan.
Under is 19-7 in Blue Jackets last 26 overall.
Under is 18-7 in Blue Jackets last 25 in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 days situation.
Under is 20-8-1 in Blue Jackets last 29 games as an underdog.
Under is 20-8 in Blue Jackets last 28 vs. Eastern Conference.
Under is 40-17 in Blue Jackets last 57 vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 5-0 in Flyers last 5 games as a favorite.
Under is 4-0-1 in Flyers last 5 games as a home favorite.
Over is 6-1 in Flyers last 7 after allowing 5 goals or more in their previous game.
Under is 5-1 in Flyers last 6 home games.
Over is 4-1 in Flyers last 5 overall.
Under is 4-1 in Flyers last 5 games playing on 2 days rest.
Over is 4-1 in Flyers last 5 vs. Eastern Conference.
Over is 5-2 in Flyers last 7 Tuesday games.
Home team is 22-10 in the last 32 meetings.
Favorite is 10-4 in the last 14 meetings.
Blue Jackets are 19-7 in the last 26 meetings.
Over is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.
Over is 13-2-1 in the last 16 meetings in Philadelphia.
