Predators vs Blue Jackets Prediction NHL Picks 3/9/24

Columbus Blue Jackets (22-31-10) vs Nashville Predators (36-25-3)

Game Info: Saturday, March 9, 2024 at 12:30 pm (Nationwide Arena)

Betting Odds: Columbus Blue Jackets +128 / Nashville Predators -159 --- Over/Under: 6.5

The Nashville Predators look for a win after winning 9 of their last 10 games. The Columbus Blue Jackets look for a win after winning 3 of their last 4 games. Here’s a Nashville Predators vs Columbus Blue Jackets prediction.

Nashville Predators Betting Preview

The Nashville Predators recently beat the Avalanche and Sabres while losing to the Canadiens. The Nashville Predators are averaging 3.19 goals per game and are scoring on 20.2 percent of their power play opportunities. Filip Forsberg leads Nashville with 33 goals, Roman Josi has 47 assists and Ryan O’Reilly has 148 shots on goal. Defensively, the Nashville Predators are allowing 3.06 goals per game and are killing 76.8 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Juuse Saros has allowed 135 goals on 1,457 shots faced, while Kevin Lankinen has given up 47 goals on 434 shots.

Columbus Blue Jackets Betting Preview

The Columbus Blue Jackets recently beat the Golden Knights and Oilers while losing to the Penguins. The Columbus Blue Jackets are averaging 3 goals per game and are scoring on 16.4 percent of their power play opportunities. Boone Jenner leads Columbus with 19 goals, Johnny Gaudreau has 35 assists and Kirill Marchenko has 148 shots on goal. Defensively, the Columbus Blue Jackets are allowing 3.57 goals per game and are killing 74.2 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Daniil Tarasov has allowed 55 goals on 517 shots faced, and Elvis Merzlikins has given up 104 goals on 1,080 shots.

Columbus Blue Jackets Player Prop Facts

• Alexander Nylander has scored at least one goal in each of the Blue Jackets' last three home games.
• Patrik Laine has recorded a point in each of his last five appearances at Nationwide Arena.
• Erik Gudbranson has recorded an assist in five of the Blue Jackets' last six day games.
• Alexandre Texier has the most Shorthanded Goals for the Blue Jackets this season (2).

Nashville Predators Player Prop Facts

• Filip Forsberg has scored at least one goal in six of the Predators' last seven games as favorites.
• Roman Josi has recorded at least one assist in seven of the Predators' last eight games as favorites against Metropolitan Division opponents.
• Roman Josi has recorded at least one point in each of the Predators' last eight games as favorites against Metropolitan Division opponents.
• Filip Forsberg ranks T3rd in the league for Game Winning Goals (8) this season.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Columbus Blue Jackets rank 31st in the league for goals against per game this season (3.63).
• The Columbus Blue Jackets rank 31st in the league in power play percentage this season (14.37%).
• The Nashville Predators rank T3rd in the league in short handed goals allowed this season (4).
• The Nashville Predators rank 25th in the league for power play goals against this season (46).

Nashville Predators vs Columbus Blue Jackets prediction

The Nashville Predators have been one of the hotter teams in the league over the last month, and they're not a team I'm eager to step in front of, especially against lesser teams. The Preds are also 18-10-2 on the road this season. The Columbus Blue Jackets have had issues finishing games due to their below average defense, and home games haven't helped much. The Blue Jackets are 12-16-4 on their home ice this season. We're getting a reasonable price with a red-hot team. Give me the Predators to get the job done early Saturday afternoon.

The pick in this article is the opinion of the writer, not a PickDawgz site consensus.