Columbus Blue Jackets vs Vegas Golden Knights Betting Pick & Prediction for 1/8

bangthebook nhl game preview

The Columbus Blue Jackets will travel to face the Vegas Golden Knights at the T-Mobile Arena. Columbus has a record of 18-17-7 this season. They are led by head coach Dean Evason and rank 16th in the Eastern Conference.

Vegas holds a record of 18-11-12, playing under head coach Bruce Cassidy. They sit 4th in the Western Conference and 1st in their division. The game will be shown on ESPN+ at 10:00 PM on Thursday, January 8, 2026.

Blue Jackets vs Golden Knights Game Day Info

  • Sport: NHL
  • Teams: Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Vegas Golden Knights
  • Venue: T-Mobile Arena
  • Date: Thursday, January 8, 2026
  • Betting Odds: Vegas Golden Knights MoneyLine -180, Columbus Blue Jackets MoneyLine +151

Columbus Blue Jackets Team Preview

The Columbus Blue Jackets are coming off a tough stretch of games. In their last outing, they fell to the San Jose Sharks 5-2. Despite the loss, they matched the Sharks in shots on goal with 36 each.

Earlier in the week, the Blue Jackets faced a close game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, losing 5-4. Kirill Marchenko and Zach Werenski each contributed with a goal and an assist. The team had 22 hits, showing physical play.

Before the recent losses, Columbus secured a strong 5-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Brendan Gaunce scored once, while Zach Werenski and Damon Severson each added two assists. The team had a solid defensive performance with 13 blocks.

Vegas Golden Knights Team Preview

The Vegas Golden Knights have had mixed results in recent games. They secured a 4-3 win against the Winnipeg Jets, with Tomas Hertl scoring a goal and adding an assist. In that game, they recorded 31 shots on goal and managed two power-play goals.

In their game against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Golden Knights fell short, losing 3-2. Despite the loss, they showed physical play with 34 hits and 19 blocks. Mark Stone contributed a goal in that game.

When facing the St. Louis Blues, the Golden Knights lost 4-3. They managed 24 shots on goal but could not capitalize on power plays. Keegan Kolesar was notable with a goal and four hits in the game.

BTB Betting Pick

For the moneyline pick, the Vegas Golden Knights are favored at -180. They have strong skater stats with 127 goals and 228 assists, which rank 12th in both categories. The Columbus Blue Jackets are the underdog with a moneyline of +151. Given these stats, the pick is for the Vegas Golden Knights to win the game with a projected score of 4-2.

For the over/under pick, the total is set at 6.5. The Golden Knights have allowed 118 goals, ranking 9th, while the Blue Jackets have allowed 131 goals, ranking 17th. With these defensive stats, the game is likely to stay under 6.5 goals. The pick is to take the under at -116, with a projected total of 6 goals.