Lightning vs. Blue Jackets NHL Picks, Predictions: Vasilevskiy Holds the Door
In Columbus’s home opener, the Blue Jackets will face the Tampa Bay Lightning as the two Eastern Conference teams both hope to earn their first victory of the season. Here are our picks for Friday night’s game between the Lightning and Blue Jackets.
The Lightning made their third straight appearance in the Stanley Cup Final last season and despite the loss, they remain one of the top contenders for the Stanley Cup coming into the 2022-23 season. They lost their first game of the season on Tuesday to the New York Rangers 3-1 on Tuesday, with their only goal coming from Steven Stamkos.
The Blue Jackets made the splash of the offseason with the signing of Johnny Gaudreau. Despite all the excitement, they also dropped their season opener. They lost 4-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday. The Jackets’ only goal came from Patrik Laine, who the team announced yesterday they’ll be without for at least a few weeks due to an upper-body injury.
Check out Friday's NHL Best Bets and our top shot prop picks.
Here are my NHL picks and predictions for Friday night’s game between the Lightning and Blue Jackets (odds via FanDuel Sportsbook, BetMGM, and DraftKings Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Lightning vs. Blue Jackets Game Info
Date/Time: Friday, Oct. 14, 7 p.m. ET
TV: NHLN, BSOH, BSSUN
Location: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH
Lightning vs. Blue Jackets Odds
Lightning vs. Blue Jackets Picks
- Moneyline: Lightning (-200 via DraftKings)
- Over/Under: Under 6 (+100 via BetMGM)
- Prop: Andrei Vasilevskiy 29-plus saves (-104 via FanDuel)
Lightning vs. Blue Jackets ML Pick
Lightning (-200) ★★★★
The Lightning hold the upperhand in both goaltending and offense in this matchup. Andrei Vasilevskiy is considered the best goalie in the league right now and for good reason. Even in the 4-1 loss to the Rangers, Vasilevskiy made 36 saves for a save percentage of .923.
The Blue Jackets will send out Daniil Tarasov between the pipes. While Tarasov had a strong showing against the Hurricanes with 39 saves on 43 shots, he isn’t even Columbus’s primary backup goaltender. However, with both Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo injured, Tarasov is their guy for the time being. Tarasov, 23, has made just four NHL starts in his career including Wednesday’s game. Across his five NHL appearances, he’s posted a .929 SV%. Still, he has yet to record a win.
The Lightning’s offense also has a leg up on the Blue Jackets, especially without Laine. Laine was second on the team last year with 26 goals, trailing only Oliver Bjorkstrand by two. Laine’s impact on the ice is obvious, and his absence will certainly be felt.
While Columbus still has offensive weapons such as Gaudreau who will be searching for his first point with the Blue Jackets, the Lightning’s offense is much stronger from their top line down.
Lightning vs. Blue Jackets O/U Pick
Under (+100) ★★★★
That said, even with the Lightning’s potent offense, I expect this to be a low-scoring game if not solely due to the fact Vasilevskiy is in the net. Vasilevskiy made 36 saves against the Rangers. The Blue Jackets had just 32 shots on goal against Carolina in their first game. As I said, this Blue Jackets’ offense, aside from a few players, isn’t much of a threat to Vasilevskiy. They also aren’t a high-volume shooting team.
The jury’s still out on Tarasov, and this Lightning offense is definitely no easy test. However, he’s held his own in his five NHL appearances and four starts. Despite the lack of results, it hasn’t been a goaltending issue, but rather the absence of offense from Columbus.
Lightning vs. Blue Jackets Prop Pick
Vasilevskiy 29-plus saves (-104) ★★★
So much praise for Vasilevskiy I couldn’t not take a prop bet on him.
The Blue Jackets likely aren’t going to get as many quality shots on net as they’d hope, especially with Tampa Bay’s tough blue line. Vasilevskiy making at least 29 or more saves feels like a safe bet. The only concern will be Columbus getting enough shots.
Where to Bet on Lightning vs. Blue Jackets Picks
Lightning-Blue Jackets picks made 10/14/2022 at 3:02 p.m. ET.
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