New Jersey vs Columbus Prediction: the Jackets Should Earn Some Points

Prediction for the NHL-1 match between New Jersey vs Columbus, which will take place on March 12th. Who will turn out to be stronger? Check the teams' conditions! Several betting options are available.

New Jersey

New Jersey's had a bit of a wobbly season. If you remember how the Devils started, you'll see that they've fallen off the pace as the campaign has progressed. They're still in a solid position in the East, though - sixth with 74 points. But there's no guarantee they'll make the playoffs yet. They've had some pretty turbulent results recently too – in the last ten games, they've only won four and lost six. But they did manage to break a run of three losses in a row the day before by beating Philadelphia 3-1. The injuries to Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton will definitely not be good for them.

Columbus

Columbus has had a solid campaign so far, and they deserve a lot of credit for that. No one saw the Blue Jackets coming, but they've been impressing everyone. You have to realise that Dean Evason's resources are extremely modest, and leading such a squad to the playoffs is a masterstroke. Right now, the Jackets are in eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings with 70 points, but there are plenty of the wild card contenders at the bottom. Last game, Columbus beat the Rangers 7-3 after losing the previous two.

H2H Meetings

This season, New Jersey and Columbus have played each other once, and the Jackets won 4-2.

Bookmakers' Options

The bookie company 1xbet thinks New Jersey will be stronger next time. You can bet on them to win in regulation time at 2.03 (including overtime and shootout) and 1.641. If you fancy Columbus to win (including OT and BUL), you can get 2.371, and if you think they'll win in three periods, you can get 3.155.

The pros at the bookie's office set the total at 5.5 pucks. For a bet on the total over 5.5 pucks, they're offering 1.839, and for the opposite bet, it's 2.052.

Expert Betting Tips

The bookies think it'll be an easy win for Columbus. But we think they're wrong, because the Blue Jackets have been doing really well recently. They've won five out of the last seven games, which is pretty serious. And a 7-3 defeat of the Rangers the night before will definitely give them confidence in their abilities. The Devils are on a roll, but losing two key players is a massive blow for Sheldon Keefe. We think the Jackets will get points here, and we'll take them not to lose in regulation time.

Our picks:

X2 for 1.74

Team 2 Wins for 2.35

CS 2:3 for 21.00