- 1 Columbus Blue Jackets vs Colorado Avalanche: a home team that needs overtime meets Colorado on no rest
- 2 Columbus Blue Jackets: four home wins, three of them past regulation
- 3 Colorado Avalanche: 4.21 goals a game, and Monday night in Chicago first
- 4 Free NHL Prediction: Columbus Blue Jackets vs Colorado Avalanche
- 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 Colorado Avalanche: a home team that needs overtime meets Colorado on no rest 
Colorado play in Chicago on Monday night and in Columbus less than 24 hours later. The Avalanche arrive at Nationwide Arena on the second night of a back-to-back for Tuesday 3 November, puck drop at 7:00pm ET. That’s where we started.
The second thing is the gap in attack. Colorado have scored 59 goals in 14 games, 4.21 a night, and they beat Calgary 5-2 at Ball Arena on Halloween to move to 8-5-1. Columbus have scored 29 in 12, and they’re 5-7-0 after a 3-1 defeat in Dallas on Saturday.
That defeat in Dallas wasn’t a hammering. Jet Greaves faced 16 shots, one of which went into an empty net, and the Blue Jackets controlled more than 70% of the even-strength shot attempts over the final 40 minutes. Damon Severson’s goal with 13:39 left made it 2-1, and Columbus couldn’t find the tying goal before Dallas added an empty-netter.
The trip that ended in Texas brought zero points from two games, a 3-2 loss in Carolina and the 3-1 loss to the Stars. Away from home, Columbus are 1-4-0. At home they’re 4-3-0, with three of the four wins coming in overtime or a shootout: 3-2 over Pittsburgh, 1-0 over the Rangers and 2-1 over Vegas.
Colorado’s own road record is 2-4-0. The Avalanche won 7-3 in Calgary and 3-2 in Dallas, then lost in Winnipeg, Philadelphia, New Jersey and Nashville. We think the schedule matters more than the venue here, and the attacking gap still points one way.
Columbus Blue Jackets: four home wins, three of them past regulation 
Kent Johnson carries this attack. He went into Saturday with 7 goals and 11 points in 11 games, matching his whole 2025-26 goal total, and he assisted on Severson’s goal in Dallas. In the 4-3 overtime win in Philadelphia on 27 October he scored twice, including the winner, and added an assist.
Zach Werenski had nine assists in his first ten games and picked up another on Saturday. Rick Bowness used an 11-forward, 7-defense lineup in Dallas after Ivan Provorov came off injured reserve, and Erik Gudbranson played only 4:34 of it.
Goaltending is the weak link. Greaves is 2-5-0 with a 3.11 goals-against average and an .883 save percentage over eight appearances. He’s the same goalie who shut out the Rangers 1-0 in overtime on 17 October, so the ceiling exists, but the average night has been closer to three goals allowed.
The scoring numbers explain the record. Columbus have been outscored 39-29, and they’ve put up three or more goals in only five of 12 games. Against Florida on 13 October they allowed seven at home; against Toronto on 20 October they allowed six. Both were losses by four goals or more.
Dante Fabbro came off injured reserve on 27 October and Provorov on 31 October, which gives Bowness a fuller blue line than he had for most of October. Carson Soucy has been loaned to AHL Cleveland. The defensive pieces are back; the scoring hasn’t followed yet.
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Colorado Avalanche: 4.21 goals a game, and Monday night in Chicago first 
Nathan MacKinnon had 22 points through 13 games before Halloween, 8 goals and 14 assists. Martin Necas had 16, Artturi Lehkonen 15 with 10 goals, and Devon Toews and Cale Makar 11 each. Five players at 11 points or more is the main reason Colorado can survive bad defensive nights.
There have been several. Colorado lost 6-3 at home to Toronto on 10 October and 6-2 in Nashville on 25 October, and their three most recent defeats before Halloween cost them 13 goals. Through 14 games they’ve conceded 44, a little over three a night.
Saturday’s 5-2 win over Calgary was cleaner. Colorado led 4-0 by the midway point of the second period, outshot the Flames 34-27, went 1-for-3 on the power play and won 60.8% of the faceoffs. Necas scored on the power play, and Mackenzie Blackwood made a glove save on Matt Coronato late in the first period with the game still 1-0.
The injury list is short. Josh Manson is out until at least 5 November, Zachary L’Heureux is on long-term injured reserve and Logan O’Connor was day-to-day heading into the weekend. None of those three is a top-six forward or a top-pair defenseman.
The bigger question is in goal. With games on consecutive nights, Colorado may split the starts, and Blackwood starting both would be unusual. Colorado’s starter will only be clear after Monday’s game at the United Center, the first half of the back-to-back.
Probable lineup Columbus Blue Jackets: Not announced at time of publication (Kent Johnson, Zach Werenski, Damon Severson, Ivan Provorov expected; Jet Greaves projected in goal)
Probable lineup Colorado Avalanche: Not announced at time of publication (Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, Artturi Lehkonen, Cale Makar, Devon Toews expected; starting goalie to be confirmed after the Chicago game)
Free NHL Prediction: Columbus Blue Jackets vs Colorado Avalanche
Our prediction: Colorado Avalanche to win (overtime included)
Colorado have scored 30 more goals than Columbus in two more games. Columbus have scored three or more just five times, and their goalie has an .883 save percentage. Even with a tired roster and a backup likely in net, Colorado’s attack has produced at least five goals in seven of its 14 games.
The back-to-back is the argument against us, and it’s a fair one. Colorado’s road record is 2-4-0, and a second game in two nights takes something off the legs. We’d still rather back the team with five double-digit scorers than a Columbus side that’s needed overtime for three of its four home wins.
No price had been posted for this game at the time of writing. We’d want 1.50 or better on Colorado, overtime included; below 1.45, the Over on Colorado’s team goal total is the alternative we’d look at.
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