Columbus Blue Jackets vs New York Rangers Betting Pick & Prediction 1/18/25
Making on a bet on this NHL game featuring the Blue Jackets versus the Rangers? The puck drops at 7:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. This Metropolitan division matchup has an over/under of 6.5 goals, and the Rangers are favored by -1.5 at home vs. the Blue Jackets.
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS VS NEW YORK RANGERS BETTING PICK
The Pick: New York Rangers -1.5
This game will be played at Madison Square Garden at 7:00 ET on Saturday, January 18th.
WHY BET THE NEW YORK RANGERS:
- Looking at our projections, the Rangers are expected to take down the Blue Jackets by a score of 4-2.
- Take the Rangers on the moneyline
- The Rangers should also cover at -1.5
Will Columbus Find a Way to Win on the Road?
Columbus fell to 22-17-6 after a 7-2 loss to the Capitals. The Blue Jackets’ defense struggled early, giving up five goals in the first period. Going into the game, the total was set at 6.5 goals, and the combined 9 goals easily surpassed that mark. Columbus, the underdog on the puck line, failed to cover.
The Blue Jackets managed to score twice, with Damon Severson and Kevin Labanc each finding the net. Severson scored at 19:11 in the second period, and Labanc added another goal at 5:24 in the same period.
Columbus took 36 shots on goal in their 7-2 loss to Washington, but only found the net twice. Damon Severson scored his fourth goal of the season, while Kevin Labanc added his second. The Blue Jackets were held scoreless in the first period before Severson got them on the board 49 seconds into the second.
Columbus registered 13 giveaways and failed to convert on any power play opportunities. Sean Monahan picked up his fifth assist of the season on Labanc’s goal, and Zach Aston-Reese notched his second assist.
Columbus struggled defensively in their previous game, allowing 7 goals on 22 shots from Washington. Daniil Tarasov made 15 saves but posted a 68.2% save percentage. The Blue Jackets’ defense had 10 takeaways and 17 hits, but they gave up the first 5 goals, with the first coming just 56 seconds into the game.
Will New York Find a Way to Win at Home?
With a 5-2 win over the Islanders, the Rangers moved above .500, now sitting at 21-20-3. The Rangers covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 7 goals surpassed the pre-game line of 6.
Four different players scored for the Rangers, with Artemi Panarin leading the way with two goals. The Rangers took a 2-0 lead before the Islanders responded, but added two more goals in the third period to secure the win.
Artemi Panarin led the way for the Rangers with two goals, including his 9th of the season on an empty net and his 8th on a power play in the second period. Chris Kreider opened the scoring with his 8th goal, shorthanded at 16:16 in the first period. Vincent Trocheck added his 4th goal, while Adam Edstrom found the net for the first time this season.
Mika Zibanejad contributed with three assists, bringing his total to 8 for the season. The Rangers fired 40 shots on goal and scored 5 times, despite 14 giveaways.
Defensively, the Rangers will look to carry their momentum from the last game, where they gave up just two goals to the Islanders. Igor Shesterkin posted a 94.6% save percentage with 35 saves, and the Rangers’ defense added 10 takeaways and 19 hits. The only goals they allowed came at the 15:22 mark of the 2nd period and with 8 seconds left in the 2nd period.