PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* Wednesday ICE BREAKER >> 29-17-2 Last 9 Days!
(NHL) Columbus vs. Pittsburgh,
Money Line: -149.00 Pittsburgh (Home)
Result: Win
Money Line: -149.00 Pittsburgh (Home)
Result: Win
The set-up: The 50-24-8 Columbus Blu Jackets are coming off a season in which they had a 16-game win streak (Nov. 29-- Jan. 3) and registered 108 points but in the top-heavy Metropolitan Division, their 108 points left them third. Columbus returns to the NHL's postseason for the first time since 2014 and draws the Metropolitan's 2nd-place team (and defending champs!), the 50-21-11 Pittsburgh Penguins. Pittsburgh makes its 11th consecutive playoff appearance and when Columbus last made the playoffs (2014), it was eliminated by the Penguins.
Columbus: The Blue Jackets stumble into the postseason having lost a season-high six in a row (0-5-1), before a 3-2 victory at Toronto on Sunday. Columbus will count on Sergei Bobrovsky in goal, who had the league's best goals-against average (2.06) and save percentage (.931), while his 42 wins ranked second among all netminders. However, in order to compete in the series, Columbus must 'find' its power play. The Blue Jackets led the league by going 32-for-124 (23.9%) with the man advantage in their first 41 games but then converted on just 10-of-87 opportunities (11.5%) the rest of the way.
Pittsburgh: The Penguins own the league's top offense at 3.39 goals per game but their overall postseason success could greatly hinge on the health of former Hart Trophy winner Evgeni Malkin (33 goals, 39 assists), who is expected to return Wednesday from a 13-game absence due to an upper-body injury. However, while Malkin is set to return, fellow forwards Carl Hagelin (lower body) and Chris Kunitz (lower body) as well as defenseman Chad Ruhwedel (upper body) are expected to miss after sitting out practice on Tuesday. Of course, there is also captain Sidney Crosby. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy last spring and Rocket Richard Trophy this season with 44 goals,
The pick: Bobrovsky had a terrific season but he comes in havin g allowed 13 goals during his four-game losing skid to end the season. He'll be opposed by Matt Murray, who posted a 15-6 mark with a 2.08 goals-against average and .923 save percentage in the playoffs last season, helping the Penguins win the Stanley Cup. Make Pittsburgh a 10* play.
Columbus: The Blue Jackets stumble into the postseason having lost a season-high six in a row (0-5-1), before a 3-2 victory at Toronto on Sunday. Columbus will count on Sergei Bobrovsky in goal, who had the league's best goals-against average (2.06) and save percentage (.931), while his 42 wins ranked second among all netminders. However, in order to compete in the series, Columbus must 'find' its power play. The Blue Jackets led the league by going 32-for-124 (23.9%) with the man advantage in their first 41 games but then converted on just 10-of-87 opportunities (11.5%) the rest of the way.
Pittsburgh: The Penguins own the league's top offense at 3.39 goals per game but their overall postseason success could greatly hinge on the health of former Hart Trophy winner Evgeni Malkin (33 goals, 39 assists), who is expected to return Wednesday from a 13-game absence due to an upper-body injury. However, while Malkin is set to return, fellow forwards Carl Hagelin (lower body) and Chris Kunitz (lower body) as well as defenseman Chad Ruhwedel (upper body) are expected to miss after sitting out practice on Tuesday. Of course, there is also captain Sidney Crosby. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy last spring and Rocket Richard Trophy this season with 44 goals,
The pick: Bobrovsky had a terrific season but he comes in havin g allowed 13 goals during his four-game losing skid to end the season. He'll be opposed by Matt Murray, who posted a 15-6 mark with a 2.08 goals-against average and .923 save percentage in the playoffs last season, helping the Penguins win the Stanley Cup. Make Pittsburgh a 10* play.
