Carolina Hurricanes vs Columbus Blue Jackets Betting Pick & Prediction 12/31/24

Planning on watching today’s Hurricanes and Blue Jackets game? Catch the action at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH, as the Blue Jackets hosts this showdown at 8:00 ET on ESPN+. The Hurricanes are favored by -1.5 in this Metropolitan divisional contest against the Blue Jackets. The game’s over/under currently sits at 6.5 goals.

CAROLINA HURRICANES VS COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Columbus Blue Jackets +1.5

This game will be played at Nationwide Arena at 8:00 ET on Tuesday, December 31st.

WHY BET THE COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS:

• Despite being 1.5 goal underdogs, we predict the Blue Jackets to come out on top with a final score of 4-3.
• We like the Blue Jackets on the moneyline (+186)
• The Blue Jackets are also our pick on the spread at +1.5

Do the Hurricanes Stand a Chance on the Road?

Carolina improved to 22-13-1 with a 4-2 win over the Capitals. The Hurricanes covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total for the game was set at 6 goals, resulting in a push.

Carolina scored first, but the Capitals responded with two goals in the first period. The Hurricanes then scored three unanswered goals, including an empty-netter, to secure the win.

Carolina took 45 shots on goal, with Dmitry Orlov netting two for the third time this season. Orlov’s second goal came in the second period, following Martin Necas’ 6th goal of the season. Necas also added two assists, bringing his total to 12 for the year.

Andrei Svechnikov scored his 6th goal on an empty net with 9 seconds left. The Hurricanes had 14 giveaways and 5 assists, with their first goal coming at 5:59 in the first period.

Carolina’s defense gave up two late goals in the first period, but they kept the Capitals off the board the rest of the way, leading to a 4-2 win. Pyotr Kochetkov made 19 saves with a 90.5% save percentage, and the Hurricanes’ defense finished with 7 takeaways and 10 hits.

Does Columbus Have What it Takes at Home?

Columbus fell to 15-16-6 after a 7-2 loss to the Capitals. The Blue Jackets’ defense struggled early, allowing five goals in the first period.

As underdogs, the Blue Jackets failed to cover the puck line. The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score reached 9.

Columbus fired 36 shots on goal but managed just two scores in their 7-2 loss to the Capitals. Damon Severson netted his 4th goal of the season, while Kevin Labanc added his 2nd. The Blue Jackets were held scoreless in the first period before Severson got them on the board 49 seconds into the second.

Columbus had 13 giveaways and failed to convert on any power play opportunities. Adam Fantilli picked up his 4th assist on Severson’s goal, and Sean Monahan recorded his 5th assist on Labanc’s score.

Defensively, the Blue Jackets will look to bounce back after giving up 7 goals to the Capitals in their previous game. Daniil Tarasov made 15 saves with a 68.2% save percentage. The defense also recorded 10 takeaways and 17 hits. Columbus will aim to start stronger, as they allowed five goals in the first period, including the first just 56 seconds into the game.