The Edmonton Oilers and the Columbus Blue Jackets meet in NHL action from the Nationwide Arena on Sunday afternoon.
The Edmonton Oilers will look to build on their current four-game win streak after a 6-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche last time out. Connor McDavid leads the Oilers in scoring with 116 points with 43 goals and a team-high 73 assists while Leon Draisaitl has 107 points with a team-high 54 goals and 53 assists. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has 48 points with 37 assists and Zach Hyman has 51 points with 25 goals this season. Mikko Koskinen has seen the bulk of Edmonton’s action in goal, going 25-11-4 with a 3.09 GAA and a .902 save percentage while Stuart Skinner has gone 6-6 with a 2.62 GAA and a .913 save percentage and Mike Smith’s 15-9-2 with a 2.88 GAA and a .913 save percentage this season.
The Columbus Blue Jackets will try to snap a four-game losing skid after their 2-1 shootout loss to Ottawa in their last game. Patrik Laine leads the Blue Jackets in scoring with 56 points and Oliver Bjorkstrand has 50 points with Laine logging a team-high 26 goals and Bjorkstrand chipping in 24 goals and 26 assists. Jakub Voracek’s also got 56 points with a team-high 51 assists. Boone Jenner’s also got 44 points with 23 goals and 21 apples this season. Elvis Merzlikins has seen the majority of Columbus’ action in goal, going 25-21-7 with a 3.27 GAA and a .906 save percentage this season.
Edmonton is 5-0 in their last 5 games against the Eastern Conference and 4-0 in their last 4 games when their opponent allows two goals or less in the previous game while the under is 4-0 in their last 4 road games. Columbus is 1-8 in their last 9 games against the Pacific division and 0-4 in their last 4 games overall while the over is 10-2-1 in their last 13 games after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
I get the reasoning to be made for a home underdog in certain spots and the Oilers have already clinched a playoff spot. However, the Oilers are still trying to clinch home ice in the first round of the playoffs and quite frankly, the Blue Jackets just aren’t playing the style of hockey from a win/loss perspective that I feel like backing. Give me the Penguins -1.5 here.