Florida Panthers vs Columbus Blue Jackets Betting Pick & Prediction 3/20/25

The Panthers and Blue Jackets are set to face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Blue Jackets will host the game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH. The Panthers come into this Eastern conference matchup as the -1.5 goal favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 6 goals.

FLORIDA PANTHERS VS COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Columbus Blue Jackets +1.5

This game will be played at Nationwide Arena at 7:00 ET on Thursday, March 20th.

WHY BET THE COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS:

• Even though they are considered 1.5-goal underdogs, our projection points to a 4-3 win for the Blue Jackets.
• We like the Blue Jackets on the moneyline (+156)
• The Blue Jackets are also our pick on the spread at +1.5

Can Florida Pull Out the Win as Road Favorites?

Florida improved to 41-24-3 with a 4-2 win over the Stars. The Panthers covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 6.5 goals went under, as the teams combined for 6 goals.

All four of Florida’s goals came from different players. Evan Rodrigues opened the scoring at 5:15 in the first period, and Sam Reinhart sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 19:00 in the third.

In their 4-2 win over the Stars, the Panthers’ offense was led by A.J. Greer, who netted his first goal of the season. Sam Reinhart added his 10th goal on an empty net, while Evan Rodrigues and Matthew Tkachuk also found the back of the net, with Tkachuk scoring his third goal of the year on a power play.

The Panthers took 25 shots on goal and recorded 16 giveaways. They scored once in the first period, added another in the second, and finished with two more in the third, including Reinhart’s empty-netter.

Defensively, the Panthers gave up two goals in their previous game, both of which came in the second period. Spencer Knight made 23 saves with a 92% save percentage, and the defense finished with 8 takeaways and 22 hits.

Will the Blue Jackets Win at Home?

Columbus fell to 31-28-8 after a 7-2 loss to the Capitals. The Blue Jackets’ defense was a disaster from the start, allowing five goals in the first period. Entering as underdogs on the puck line, Columbus failed to cover. The total was set at 6.5 goals, and the combined 9 goals easily surpassed that mark.

Columbus didn’t score until the second period, when Damon Severson found the net at 19:11. The Capitals responded with another goal, and Kevin Labanc scored for the Blue Jackets at 5:24 in the second. However, the defense continued to struggle, allowing another goal in the third period.

Columbus managed 36 shots on goal but came away with just two scores in their 7-2 loss to Washington. Damon Severson netted his 4th goal of the season, while Kevin Labanc followed with 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 added another at the 5:24 mark. Columbus recorded 13 giveaways in the game.

Defensively, the Blue Jackets struggled, allowing the first five goals of the game, all of which came in the first period. They also gave up a late goal in the 3rd period with 1:26 remaining. Goalie Daniil Tarasov made 15 saves but had a save percentage of just 68.2%.