Columbus - New Jersey: NHL match betting tip
Columbus will continue to perform at the home arena on March 18, where he has been showing his worst side so far. This time, the team will meet with New Jersey, and our experts, in turn, have prepared a betting tip in which they will tell you about the latest performances of the clubs, as well as help you identify the most optimal bets

Command Analysis

Columbus Blue Jackets

Current form
Columbus continues to be on the decline, and the series of defeats has already reached three matches in a row. The team did not finish the away series in the best way, losing to New Jersey with a score of 3:5. The defensive line showed its worst side, and goalkeeper Merzlikin failed to cope with his main task, reflecting only 82% of shots. Returning to their home arena, the Blue Jackets faced off against a clear favorite in the face of Vegas and this time they couldn't even score, suffering a dry defeat (0-4). Of the 27 shots, none reached the target.
The exact same situation occurred in the next match against the Rangers. Evans' team played very poorly in attack and were again left without goals, failing with a score of 0:4. Goalkeeper Tarasov also failed to prove himself, reflecting only 85% of shots. It's hard to say when Columbus will come to his senses and start steadily earning points again, but so far there are no prerequisites for this. Due to the big defeats, the club continues to drop down the Eastern Conference table and is currently in tenth place.
Disqualifications and injuries
Columbus has six players in the infirmary: Christiansen, Labanc, Gudbranson, Merzlikin, Monahan and Sillinger.
Interesting betting trends
- On average, Columbus concedes 3.34 goals per match.
- On average, the jackets receive 8.5 penalty minutes per match.

New Jersey Devils

Current form
New Jersey had a successful two-match home streak, which began in a duel with Columbus. The Devils, with the support of their native stands, began to create powerful pressure on the opponent from the start and by the end of the first period had a three-goal advantage, and in the end they won with a score of 5:3. The most productive was striker Bratt, who scored a goal and provided two assists. The Devils were able to consolidate their success in a duel with a much more serious opponent, in the person of Edmonton, snatching Victoria from him with a one-goal difference (3:2). Once again, Bratt scored three goals.
Next, the devils went to play on the road, where they met with Pittsburgh. The Penguins had just picked up the pace and met their opponent harshly. New Jersey was clearly not ready for this and underestimated the competitor, which led to a crushing defeat with a score of 3:7. Goalkeeper Markstrom showed a terrible game, reflecting only 69% of shots. Despite losing two points, the club remains on the sixth line in the Eastern Conference table, but the advantage over its closest competitor is only one point.
Disqualifications and injuries
Hamilton, Hughes and Siegenthaler will not be able to participate in the upcoming match.
Interesting betting trends
- On average, New Jersey scores three goals per game.
- The Devils completed 27.5% of the majority attempts
Trends
First Goalbet: Columbus
In four face-to-face matches out of five, Columbus opened the scoring
2.00Bet 2nd period: total more than 1.5 pucks
In four face-to-face matches out of five, the teams scored more than one goal in the second period.
1.50Tip and bets
New Jersey stumbled, underestimating its opponent, but now the team has a great opportunity to rehabilitate itself in front of the fans and regain the lost points. Columbus is clearly on the decline and has been unable to even score a goal in two consecutive matches. The Devils are quite capable of taking advantage of their competitor's weakness, and in general, the guests are superior to the Blue Jackets in many ways, as they prove throughout the regular season. So we suggest betting in favor of the favorite.
Our prediction is that New Jersey will win the match in 1.77
Bet on the total
New Jersey is highly productive and will try to show its attacking potential again. In face-to-face meetings, teams are not used to holing up on the defensive, which often leads to a large number of abandoned goals. So we choose the total more as the second bet.
Betting Tip - total more than 5.5 goals in 1.73
Betting on the outcome of the first period
Columbus' first period was one of the most unsuccessful, especially recently. In almost every match, the team allows its opponents to earn an advantage after the end of the starting segment.
Prediction - New Jersey wins in the first period with a handicap (0) in 1.74