Blue Jackets vs Devils Prediction — Can Columbus Stay Hot in New Jersey?

The Columbus Blue Jackets are one of the NHL’s hottest teams over the past few weeks, and they are heading into New Jersey riding a 5-game winning streak — All of which are regulation wins. The Devils, meanwhile, are limping through the division and are dealing with some big injuries. This is the 4th and final meeting between these foes, and New Jersey leads the season series 2-1, but with the way things are trending, Columbus might be the one leaving with the last laugh for tonight.

Game Info and Betting Odds

This Metro Division matchup takes place tonight at 7 PM ET at Prudential Center in Newark, with Columbus slightly favored on the moneyline at -112, with New Jersey at -108. The total is set at 6.5 goals, with slight juice to the over, and the spread sits at +1.5 for Columbus at -270 and -1.5 for New Jersey at +220.

Columbus is coming in at 27-20-7, 5th in the Metro with 61 points and just 4 games behind the Islanders for a playoff spot — with games in hand.  They’re climbing the standings, and it doesn’t look like they’re slowing down. Meanwhile, the Devils sit at 28-25-2, good for 7th in the Metro with 58 points.

The Jackets are 9-1 in their last 10, and the Devils are 4-6 in their last 10, and coming off a 4-1 loss to Ottawa, so it’s easy to see why the bookmakers are leaning the Jackets’ way slightly despite the game being on New Jersey’s home ice.

Columbus’ Momentum Is No Joke

Columbus is undoubtedly playing its best hockey of the season. The Jackets have won 5 straight and 9 of 10, outscoring opponents 39-26 during that stretch. Over their last 5 games, they put up a whopping 28 goals. They’re doing it with offense, goaltending, and contributions up and down the lineup.

Zach Werenski continues to lead the way with 60 points — he has the most among NHL defensemen — including 19 goals and 41 helpers. He’s getting help from Charlie Coyle, who’s been red-hot with 9 goals in the last 10 games. Even Adam Fantilli is starting to chip in a bit more, with 5 points in his last four games. This just goes to show that even the depth is stepping up in their game.

But the big story is how they’re winning. They’ve scored first in 8 of their last 10, lead the NHL in defensemen scoring, and they’ve figured out the power play, where they’re 30.4% since January 11th. That’s a massive jump from their season-long number of 20.1%.

Even without Kirill Marchenko, who is out due to illness, Columbus still looks deep and dangerous. They’re sliding Isac Lundestrom up to the top line with Fantilli and Mason Marchment, and reinserting Danton Heinen into the 4th line. It’s not the best situation for this surging team, but the Jackets are adapting on the fly.

Goaltending has quietly stabilized, as well, with Elvis Merzlikins, who is getting the start, is 4-1 since January 11th with a 2.49 GAA and .910 SV%. Sure, he’s not elite, but it’s good enough with how well the team is playing in front of him.

New Jersey Is Slipping Fast

The Devils simply don’t have the same juice that they started the season with. They’ve dropped 4 of their last 6 games and haven’t looked convincing in any of them. They’re also missing key pieces of their squad, including Jack Hughes, Luke Hughes, and Stefan Noesen, who are all out. That’s a blow to their scoring, defense, and power play unit.

The Devils average 2.58 GF/G, good for 28th in the NHL, and they’ve struggled to generate much even at full strength. They’ve scored 3 or fewer goals in 7 of their last 10 games.

Nico Hischier leads the way with 18 goals and 41 points, but no one’s really stepping up behind him. Jesper Bratt leads in assists with 27, but he’s also posting a -16 on the season.

In the crease, Jacob Markstrom is expected to start, and he’s been shaky at best. His .881 SV% just won’t cut it — especially against a team averaging 4+ GF/G since mid-January.

The Devils have also struggled in divisional play, where they’re 4-9-2, and their PK unit sits at 78.6%. Combine that with a bad trend of giving up the first goal and struggling to recover, and they look vulnerable heading into tonight.

Prediction — Blue Jackets Get Revenge

Columbus has already dropped 2 of 3 to New Jersey this season, but this is clearly a different team now. They’re much healthier — aside from Marchenko — they’re confident, and they’re rolling.

The Devils are undeniably banged up, losing steam, and struggling to contain anyone defensively.

If Columbus can continue their fast starts and convert on the power play, it should control this game from the beginning to the end. They’ve been winning with structure, speed, and opportunistic scoring, and that formula travels well.

• Prediction: Blue Jackets 4, Devils 2
• Best Bet: Blue Jackets Moneyline at -112

Even on the road, there’s no denying that the Jackets are the better team right now. The Devils are missing too many key players, and Columbus has too many weapons firing on all cylinders. The road team has won every game in this season series, and we expect that trend to continue.