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(NHL) Ottawa vs. Columbus,
Money Line: -185.00 Columbus (Home)
Result: Win
Money Line: -185.00 Columbus (Home)
Result: Win
The set-up: The Columbus Blue Jackets are off to an outstanding start for the second consecutive season, one that has carried them to the top of the Metropolitan Division. at 14-7-1 (29 points) The Blue Jackets will take a five-game winning streak into Friday's home matchup against the Ottawa Senators, who are headed in the other direction with four straight losses, leaving them at 8-6-6 (22 points) on the season..
Ottawa: The Senators swept a two-game series against Colorado in Sweden (a pair of 4-3 wins on Nov. 11-12) but has lost four in a row since, producing only five goals in the slide!. Ottawa is 0-for-14 on the power play during its four-game skid, managing only one shot on a 5-on-3 Wednesday. "Sometimes everything goes great on the power play and you're not really asking yourself any question," forward Derick Brassard said. "But now maybe it's in the back of our head. ... We're thinking too much." Center Matt Duchene has been a huge disappointment, as he has yet to produce a point in six games since he came to the Senators in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche. No. 1 goalie Craig Anderson has a 7-6-3 record, 2.93 GAA and .896 save percentage.
Columbus: The Blue Jackets have allowed more than one goal just once during their five-game run, improving to 7-1 in overtime following Wednesday's 1-0 victory over Calgary.
Reigning Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky has been in net for each of the past five wins, posting a pair of shutouts and yielding a combined four goals. "I think each game that's gone by here, we've played more consistent minutes," Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said, according to the team's website. "I think we've gone in the front door more, winning games, than going in the side door in some of the games we've won this year."
The pick: The Senators just can't seem to put the puck in the net and are in the midst of playing 10 of 11 games on the road. Friday's visit to Columbus will be their third straight game away from home. As noted above, Bobrovsky has "found himself," on the heels of a four-game skid in which the Blue Jackets surrendered 15 goals, 10 in three starts by Bobrovsky. "I am focusing on my things," said. "I can't go and score the goals. I can't control that, so I don't think about that. I try to stay in my zone and do my things, and trust that the rest of my teammates will take care of it." Make Columbus an 8* play.
Ottawa: The Senators swept a two-game series against Colorado in Sweden (a pair of 4-3 wins on Nov. 11-12) but has lost four in a row since, producing only five goals in the slide!. Ottawa is 0-for-14 on the power play during its four-game skid, managing only one shot on a 5-on-3 Wednesday. "Sometimes everything goes great on the power play and you're not really asking yourself any question," forward Derick Brassard said. "But now maybe it's in the back of our head. ... We're thinking too much." Center Matt Duchene has been a huge disappointment, as he has yet to produce a point in six games since he came to the Senators in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche. No. 1 goalie Craig Anderson has a 7-6-3 record, 2.93 GAA and .896 save percentage.
Columbus: The Blue Jackets have allowed more than one goal just once during their five-game run, improving to 7-1 in overtime following Wednesday's 1-0 victory over Calgary.
Reigning Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky has been in net for each of the past five wins, posting a pair of shutouts and yielding a combined four goals. "I think each game that's gone by here, we've played more consistent minutes," Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said, according to the team's website. "I think we've gone in the front door more, winning games, than going in the side door in some of the games we've won this year."
The pick: The Senators just can't seem to put the puck in the net and are in the midst of playing 10 of 11 games on the road. Friday's visit to Columbus will be their third straight game away from home. As noted above, Bobrovsky has "found himself," on the heels of a four-game skid in which the Blue Jackets surrendered 15 goals, 10 in three starts by Bobrovsky. "I am focusing on my things," said. "I can't go and score the goals. I can't control that, so I don't think about that. I try to stay in my zone and do my things, and trust that the rest of my teammates will take care of it." Make Columbus an 8* play.
