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(NHL) Florida vs. Columbus,
Money Line: -161.00 Columbus (Home)
Result: Win
Money Line: -161.00 Columbus (Home)
Result: Win
The set-up: The 30-27-1 Florida Panthers are six points out of the second wild card spot after ending a five-game losing streak with a 7-2 rout of Toronto on Tuesday. They try to make it two straight wins when they open a rough three-game road trip tonight against the 44-18-6 Columbus Blue Jackets. Columbus improved to 9-3-1 its last 13 by beating Philadelphia 5-3 on Tuesday but is still chasing Washington and Pittsburgh in the hotly contested Metropolitan Division.
Florida: The Panthers' win on Tuesday was just the team's second in its last 10 games (2-7-1). "We have the team, should be a playoff team. It's time we show it," said forward Jonathan Marchessault after scoring twice in the win."We certainly don't feel like we're out of it," Panthers captain Derek MacKenzie told the Sun-Sentinel. However, after the Blue Jackets tonight, the Panthers play at the Rangers and the Penguins. That's three of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference. Staying relevant will be a huge challenge.
Columbus: The Blue Jackets have set franchise records for wins (44) and points (94) and but still trail the Caps (97) and Pens (95) in their own division. The Blue Jackets are winning, but they are talking about the necessity to play more penalty free. They beat Philadelphia 5-3 Monday despite allowing eight power plays. They weren't so lucky in a 5-3 loss Saturday at Buffalo, when they were short-handed five times. Rookie defenseman Zach Werenski has 43 points and Seth Jones had two assists in the win over Philly, moving within a point (39) of giving Columbus two 40-point defensemen for the first time in team history.
The pick: This three-game road trip could all but doom Florida's playoff hopes and that my guess, but let's take it one game at a time. Columbus was the fourth-worst team in the league last season, so this year's major turnaround is an unqualified success. However, the Blue Jackets have said they don't want to coast into the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Blue Jackets are 25-9-1 on home ice and make Columbus a 10* play.
Florida: The Panthers' win on Tuesday was just the team's second in its last 10 games (2-7-1). "We have the team, should be a playoff team. It's time we show it," said forward Jonathan Marchessault after scoring twice in the win."We certainly don't feel like we're out of it," Panthers captain Derek MacKenzie told the Sun-Sentinel. However, after the Blue Jackets tonight, the Panthers play at the Rangers and the Penguins. That's three of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference. Staying relevant will be a huge challenge.
Columbus: The Blue Jackets have set franchise records for wins (44) and points (94) and but still trail the Caps (97) and Pens (95) in their own division. The Blue Jackets are winning, but they are talking about the necessity to play more penalty free. They beat Philadelphia 5-3 Monday despite allowing eight power plays. They weren't so lucky in a 5-3 loss Saturday at Buffalo, when they were short-handed five times. Rookie defenseman Zach Werenski has 43 points and Seth Jones had two assists in the win over Philly, moving within a point (39) of giving Columbus two 40-point defensemen for the first time in team history.
The pick: This three-game road trip could all but doom Florida's playoff hopes and that my guess, but let's take it one game at a time. Columbus was the fourth-worst team in the league last season, so this year's major turnaround is an unqualified success. However, the Blue Jackets have said they don't want to coast into the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Blue Jackets are 25-9-1 on home ice and make Columbus a 10* play.
