The Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators meet Wednesday in NHL action at the Canadian Tire Centre. The Columbus Blue Jackets need a win after losing six of their last nine games. The Ottawa Senators need a win after losing nine of their last 12 games. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets are averaging 3.3 goals per game and are scoring on 18.3 percent of their power play opportunities. Boone Jenner leads Columbus with 23 goals, Jakub Voracek has 40 assists and Zach Werenski has 176 shots on goal. Defensively, the Columbus Blue Jackets are allowing 3.7 goals per game and are killing 79.2 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Elvis Merzlikins has allowed 124 goals on 1,266 shots faced, and Joonas Korpisalo has allowed 68 goals on 581 shots.

The Ottawa Senators are averaging 2.6 goals per game and are scoring on 18 percent of their power play opportunities. Josh Norris leads Ottawa with 24 goals, Thomas Chabot has 27 assists and Brady Tkachuck has 201 shots on goal. Defensively, the Ottawa Senators are allowing 3.2 goals per game and are killing 80.1 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Anton Forsberg has allowed 73 goals on 872 shots faced, and Matt Murray has allowed 60 goals on 640 shots.

The Blue Jackets are 7-3 in their last 10 road games and 1-5 in their last 6 vs. Eastern Conference. The Senators are 2-8 in their last 10 home games and 2-7 in their last 9 overall. The over is 35-13-5 in Blue Jackets last 53 overall. The under is 18-8 in Senators last 26 overall. The Blue Jackets are 6-2 in the last 8 meetings.

It’s hard to make a case for the Ottawa Senators to be favored most nights, even if they’re at home. The Columbus Blue Jackets have not only gotten the better of the Senators in recent meetings, but they’re the better team here overall and have proven themselves on the road as of late. This line is a bit confusing, honestly, even if Columbus is dealing with a lot of injuries. Give me the better team and the plus money.