Columbus Blue Jackets vs New York Rangers Betting Pick & Prediction 3/9/25
Planning on watching today’s Blue Jackets and Rangers game? Catch the action at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY, as the Rangers hosts this showdown at 6:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this Metropolitan division contest is set at 6.5 goals, with the Rangers being favored by -1.5 at home against 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 6:00 ET on Sunday, March 9th.
WHY BET THE NEW YORK RANGERS:
- Coming in as 1.5 goal favorites, our projections have the Rangers picking up a 4-3 win.
- Take the Rangers on the moneyline
- On the spread, we like Blue Jackets (+1.5)
Can Columbus Grab a Win on the Road?
Columbus dropped to 30-24-8 after a 7-2 loss to the Capitals. The Blue Jackets’ defense struggled from the start, allowing five goals in the first period.
The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, and the combined 9 goals easily surpassed that. Columbus, as the underdog on the puck line, failed to cover.
Columbus took 36 shots on goal but only found the net twice in their 7-2 loss to Washington. Damon Severson scored 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.
Labanc’s goal came with 5:24 left in the second period. Columbus recorded 13 giveaways and failed to convert on any power play opportunities.
Columbus will look to tighten up defensively after a rough outing against Washington, where they allowed seven goals on 22 shots. Daniil Tarasov finished with a 68.2% save percentage, making 15 saves. The Blue Jackets’ defense also recorded 10 takeaways and 17 hits. Five of the goals they allowed came in the first period, and another came at 4:51 in the second after they had cut the deficit to 5-1. They also gave up the final goal of the game at 18:34 in the third period.
Do the Rangers Have a Shot at a Home Win?
The Rangers improved to 31-26-6 with a 5-2 road win over the Islanders. As -1.5 goal favorites, they covered the puck line, 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. They built a 2-0 lead before the Islanders got on the board in the second period, but the Rangers responded with three more goals to secure the win.
The Rangers fired 40 shots on goal in their game against the Islanders, netting 5 times in a 5-2 win. Artemi Panarin led the way with his 8th and 9th goals of the season, with his second coming on an empty net. Adam Edstrom added his 1st goal of the season.
New York got on the board with Chris Kreider’s 8th goal, which came shorthanded. Vincent Trocheck followed with his 4th goal, while Panarin’s first goal was on a power play. Mika Zibanejad contributed with 3 assists, bringing his season total to 8.
Defensively, the Rangers will look to build on a performance that saw them allow just 2 goals to the Islanders. Igor Shesterkin made 35 saves with a 94.6% save percentage, and the Rangers’ defense added 10 takeaways, 19 hits, and 18 blocks. The only downside was a late goal allowed with 8 seconds left in the 2nd period.