Buffalo (24-18-6) at Columbus (28-17-3)
When: Tuesday, January 29th, 2019
Where: Nationwide Arena,
Columbus, Ohio
Time: 7:05 ET | TV: MSG-Buffalo, FS Ohio
Opening Odds: Columbus -173/6
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The Columbus Blue Jackets haven’t played a game in almost a week and a half, and are itching to get back on the ice after back-to-back losses prior to the All-Star Break. The third-place Jackets open the second half at home versus the free-falling Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night. Columbus had a chance to grab first place in the Metropolitan Division after winning four straight but followed that up with two straight losses, scoring one goal in each and sit four points behind the first-place New York Islanders. The Sabres were the darlings of the league over the first two months, but have now dropped 16-of-23 since ripping off a 10-game winning streak and are four points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Columbus took the first meeting of the season with a 5-4 home win in overtime over Buffalo on October 27th.
Things almost got worse for the Sabres on Monday when All-Star forwards Jack Eichel and Jeff Skinner were involved in a collision, leaving Eichel slow to get up. Both will be fine and Skinner recorded a goal and an assist and Eichel set up two goals in the overtime loss at Columbus earlier this season. Eichel has 31 of his 52 points in 24 road games and has recorded 11 points in 10 career games versus Columbus. Goalie Carter Hutton has lost seven of his last eight starts.
The Blue Jackets really need to get their power play going in the second half as they rank 27th in the league, converting on 14.6 percent with a man advantage. Helping out Columbus in this aspect will be Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis, who joined the team the past two days in his role as special teams consultant. Leading scorer Artemi Panarin and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky are both impending free agents and there is all sorts of talk around town on whether or not one or both will be traded away soon. Bobrovsky is 10-4-1 in his career with a 2.50 goals-against average versus the Sabres.
I know Buffalo is struggling, but I think the break will give them a fresh start and I really just don’t trust this Columbus team. There are too many distractions in the locker room right now and I’m not laying 173 on them. I’ll take the dog.
Pick: Sabres +155
- Sabres are 27-56 in their last 83 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Sabres are 54-114 in their last 168 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Sabres are 70-152 in their last 222 road games.
- Sabres are 16-37 in their last 53 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Sabres are 2-5 in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Sabres are 13-40 in their last 53 vs. Metropolitan.
- Sabres are 2-8 in their last 10 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Sabres are 1-4 in their last 5 overall.
- Sabres are 3-12 in their last 15 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Blue Jackets are 5-1 in their last 6 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Blue Jackets are 4-1 in their last 5 home games.
- Blue Jackets are 16-5 in their last 21 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Blue Jackets are 20-8 in their last 28 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Blue Jackets are 14-6 in their last 20 vs. Atlantic.
- Blue Jackets are 9-4 in their last 13 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Blue Jackets are 11-5 in their last 16 overall.
- Blue Jackets are 43-20 in their last 63 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
- Blue Jackets are 2-5 in their last 7 Tuesday games.
- Over is 6-0 in Sabres last 6 overall.
- Over is 4-0 in Sabres last 4 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Over is 4-0 in Sabres last 4 road games.
- Over is 4-0 in Sabres last 4 Tuesday games.
- Over is 4-0 in Sabres last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 4-1 in Sabres last 5 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Over is 6-2 in Sabres last 8 vs. Metropolitan.
- Over is 16-6-4 in Sabres last 26 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Under is 7-3 in Sabres last 10 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Over is 3-0-2 in Blue Jackets last 5 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Over is 5-1 in Blue Jackets last 6 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in Blue Jackets last 5 overall.
- Under is 4-1 in Blue Jackets last 5 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Under is 4-1 in Blue Jackets last 5 Tuesday games.
- Under is 9-3 in Blue Jackets last 12 home games.
- Over is 8-3-2 in Blue Jackets last 13 vs. Atlantic.
- Under is 5-2 in Blue Jackets last 7 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
- Home team is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.
- Over is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings in Columbus.
- Sabres are 1-4 in the last 5 meetings.
- Sabres are 0-4 in the last 4 meetings in Columbus.
