Columbus Blue Jackets @ New Jersey Devils - March 11, 2025

Alright, folks! It’s game night and the tension is palpable as our beloved Columbus Blue Jackets gear up to face off against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center. Now, if you’re anything like me, you’ve got your lucky jersey on because this one has all the makings of a thrilling clash between division rivals.

Let’s break this down: The Blue Jackets come into this matchup riding high on a five-game winning streak and with an impressive 3.3 goals per game average. They’ve been putting pucks in nets left and right, lighting it up offensively while averaging over 28 shots a game. Their shooting percentage of 11.8% isn’t too shabby either; that tells me they’re making their opportunities count. The Devils, while sitting at a solid record themselves with 2.9 goals per game, have struggled recently, especially when it comes to covering spreads – they’re just not finding that consistent offensive rhythm.

The Devils are favored here by oddsmakers with -196 odds on the moneyline but I can’t help but feel that might be a bit generous considering how the Jackets are playing right now. Columbus has proven they can score and also get to those puck battles in their offensive zone more than New Jersey lately – their offensive zone percentage may be lower (48.7%) compared to New Jersey’s (51.9%), but hey, they’re finding ways to capitalize when it matters most!

On special teams, we’ve got some interesting stats as well; the Blue Jackets’ power play might not be top-tier at 20.5%, but they’ve managed to convert enough opportunities lately, which could give them an edge tonight. The Devils’ penalty kill looks decent at 82.5%, yet Columbus will look to exploit any lapses here given how aggressive they’ve been lately.

Defensively though? That’s where things start getting dicey for Columbus with an 89% save rate and a poor penalty kill percentage of just over 75%. This could very well open doors for the Devils who, despite some recent struggles themselves (only two wins in their last six), still have more reliable goaltending with saves at 90%. If they lock down tight defensively tonight, they’ll have a solid chance.

But hold up—this is hockey after all! Anything can happen in these matchups, especially between division foes looking to claw up the standings.

I’m predicting tonight’s outcome favors the home team slightly; New Jersey is likely going to edge out this win due to their home advantage—but don’t underestimate the determination of our Blue Jackets! I think they’ll cover that spread despite being underdogs here.

When it comes down to total scores? I’m feeling pretty confident we’ll see an UNDER result tonight; both teams have had ups and downs offensively lately so don’t expect any crazy shootouts—let’s say somewhere around four or five total goals sounds about right!

So throw on your jerseys and grab those snacks—we’re in for what should be an exciting night of hockey! Let’s go Jackets!