- 1 Columbus Blue Jackets vs Vegas Golden Knights: two 6-2 defeats for the league’s top-scoring team
- 2 Columbus Blue Jackets: 2.38 goals per game and three days of rest
- 3 Vegas Golden Knights: Eichel at 18 points, with Marner day to day
- 4 Free NHL Prediction: Columbus Blue Jackets vs Vegas Golden Knights
- 5 About our free predictions
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes
- 8 Your responsibility
- 9 Responsible gambling
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About visuals
Columbus Blue Jackets vs Vegas Golden Knights: two 6-2 defeats for the league’s top-scoring team 
Vegas lost 6-2 to Tampa Bay on Tuesday and 6-2 in St. Louis on Thursday. The Golden Knights arrive in Columbus on Saturday at 8-4-0 with 44 goals, the most in the NHL.
Columbus is 3-5-0. The Blue Jackets lost 6-2 at home to Toronto on Tuesday, a game in which they were outshot 37-22 and gave up four straight goals in the second period, and they’ve lost five of their last seven.
Puck drop at Nationwide Arena is 7pm ET. The rest situation favors the home team: Columbus hasn’t played since Tuesday, while Vegas played in St. Louis on Thursday night and is still on the road.
The numbers on special teams are lopsided. Vegas scores on 25% of its power plays, Columbus on 8.7%, and that 16.3-point gap is the widest single difference between these rosters.
Recent meetings have been tight on the scoreboard. Four of the last five games between these teams went under the total.
Vegas is priced at 1.74 on the moneyline and Columbus at 2.14, with the total at 6.5. We think that number gives a fair price on a road favorite that has scored 3.75 goals per game.
Columbus Blue Jackets: 2.38 goals per game and three days of rest 
Columbus scores 2.38 goals per game and allows 3.63. That’s a minus-1.25 margin per night through eight games, and the Blue Jackets have lost their last two, to Minnesota and Toronto.
The power play is the clearest problem. At 8.7%, it isn’t turning the extra man into goals, and the penalty kill isn’t much better at 70%.
Kent Johnson leads the team with four goals. Charlie Coyle has six assists, and Adam Fantilli has taken 25 shots, the most on the roster.
Zach Werenski is the player we’d watch against this opponent. He has recorded at least one assist in seven of his last eight games as a Columbus underdog against Vegas.
Jet Greaves is the expected starter in goal. He has allowed 16 goals on 137 shots this season, a save percentage of about .883, while Cam Talbot has given up 11 on 83.
The rest edge has been worth something in the past. Columbus has covered the puck line in 14 of its last 16 games as a home underdog with a rest advantage, which is exactly the spot it’s in on Saturday.
no renewal
Free for 2 weeks.
Vegas Golden Knights: Eichel at 18 points, with Marner day to day 
Jack Eichel has 18 points, five goals and 13 assists. Mark Stone leads the team with eight goals and has 15 points, and Tomas Hertl has put 30 shots on goal.
Mitch Marner has 12 points with 10 assists and was on a seven-game point streak, but he’s listed as day to day. Parker Wotherspoon is out.
Brett Howden has scored in four of Vegas’s last five games, which gives the Golden Knights a third line that can finish when the top six is shut down.
The defense is where the last two games went wrong. Vegas allows 3.00 goals per game, and its penalty kill sits at 67.9%, which is lower than Columbus’s.
Carter Hart is the expected starter. He has allowed 20 goals on 178 shots, about an .888 save percentage, and Adin Hill has conceded 15 on 127.
The road record against this division is the warning. Vegas has failed to cover in 21 of its last 25 road games as a favorite against Metropolitan Division teams, though that’s a puck-line trend rather than a moneyline one.
Probable lineup Columbus Blue Jackets: Not announced at time of publication (Jet Greaves expected in goal)
Probable lineup Vegas Golden Knights: Not announced at time of publication (Carter Hart expected in goal)
Free NHL Prediction: Columbus Blue Jackets vs Vegas Golden Knights
Our prediction: Vegas Golden Knights to win (moneyline, 1.74)
We’re backing Vegas to win in regulation or beyond. The Golden Knights have scored 3.75 goals per game against Columbus’s 2.38, and their 25% power play meets a penalty kill that has let in 30% of opposing chances.
Two 6-2 losses in four days are a fair reason for doubt, and Columbus is rested while Vegas played on Thursday. We still weigh eight wins from 12 games over two bad nights, and Eichel’s 18 points over a Columbus roster whose top goalscorer has four.
We’d avoid the puck line given Vegas’s 21-in-25 failure rate as a road favorite against the Metropolitan. The moneyline at 1.74 is the bet.
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
_________
About our free predictions
- What we publish on MathOdds are analyses, nothing more. We share a view, a reading of the moment, but never a guarantee. Sport remains what it is: unpredictable. A red card, an injury, a last-minute goal, and the script changes completely.
- Let’s be clear: there is no such thing as a risk-free bet. Even when it looks “obvious”, nothing ever is. And yes, that means you can lose. It’s even inevitable at some point.
- The smartest approach is to stay reasonable. Bet small, set a budget and stick to it. Never use money you need to live on. And above all: don’t chase your losses: that rarely ends well.
- A bet should remain a game, not a job or a source of income. If it starts taking up too much space in your daily life, causes stress or frustration, take a break. And if needed, talk to a support organisation: that’s what they’re there for.
- Ultimately, responsibility lies with you. Reading our content means accepting that risk exists and will never disappear, no matter how good the analysis.
- Essential reminder: gambling is prohibited for minors and must comply with the laws of your country. Need help? Visit begambleaware.org.
No commitment from us
Our predictions carry no contractual value. They have no legal standing. In short: you cannot rely on them to claim anything if a bet doesn’t come through.
Information changes
A prediction is always based on what we know at the time of writing. But between publication and kick-off, a lineup can change, a player picks up an injury, the weather turns, and the analysis can quickly be outdated. We cannot be held responsible for that.
Your responsibility
Before placing a bet, simply check that gambling is legal in your country. If it isn’t, that’s your responsibility, not ours.
Responsible gambling
We can’t say it enough: gamble responsibly. If you’re struggling to stay in control, don’t wait to seek help.
Legal age
MathOdds content is intended for adults only. By browsing here, you confirm you meet the legal age requirement for gambling in your jurisdiction.
About visuals
The images and logos of Columbus Blue Jackets and Vegas Golden Knights on MathOdds are used solely to illustrate our articles. They do not imply any official affiliation with a federation or sports organisation, and we claim no rights over them. Those rights belong to their original owners. If any visual raises a concern, contact us and it will be removed without delay.
Leave a Reply