The Columbus Blue Jackets (30-17-9) host the Tampa Bay Lightning (35-15-5) Monday for a 7:30 p.m. ET puck drop at Nationwide Arena. We analyze the Lightning-Blue Jackets sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.
Lightning at Blue Jackets: Projected starting goalies
Andrei Vasilevskiy vs. Elvis Merzlikins
Vasilevskiy last played Saturday, when he stopped 17 of 18 shots in a win over the New York Islanders. It was his fifth straight victory, and he hasn’t suffered a regulation loss since Dec. 14. He is 29-9-3 on the season with a .918 save percentage and 2.48 goals against average.
Merzlikins is hot in contention for the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year, and he may be putting himself in the running for the Vezina Trophy as the top goaltender. The first-year ‘tender is 12-7-4 with a league-high .930 SV% and 2.19 goals against average. He also leads the league with five shutouts through 23 starts and two relief appearances.
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Lightning at Blue Jackets: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Odds last updated at 8:05 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Blue Jackets 2, Lightning 1
Moneyline (ML)
Both teams, and projected starting goalies, last played Saturday. The Blue Jackets (+145) suffered a 2-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche at Nationwide Arena, and the Lightning (-175) beat the Islanders 3-1 on their home ice. This is oddly the first meeting of the season between the two Eastern Conference opponents since the Jackets swept the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Lightning in the first round of last year’s postseason.
While the Lightning have the better record on the season, both sides enter at 8-1-1 across their last 10 games. Tampa Bay is out for revenge after last year’s playoff collapse, but the value lies on the BLUE JACKETS (+145) and they should be backed at plus-money on home ice. Columbus is 18-10-2 at home and Tampa Bay is 17-8-3 on the road.
New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Jackets to win in regulation, overtime or a shootout returns a profit of $14.50.
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
The BLUE JACKETS (+1.5, -182) can also be taken on the spread, where 1 goal of insurance in the event of a loss is still offering an adequate return of $5.50 on a $10 bet.
The Jackets are 34-24 against the spread overall but just 13-17 at home, where they’re usually laying the -1.5 goals as favorites. The Lightning are 24-31 ATS overall and 12-16 as visitors. Columbus hasn’t lost by two or more goals since Jan. 9, a span of 12 games.
Over/Under (O/U)
UNDER 5.5 (+125) is the best play in this game and it’s inexplicably offering plus-money. The two goaltenders are as good as anyone in the league since the start of 2020. The Jackets are 2-8 against the O/U across their last 10 games. The Lightning are 3-4-3 in the same span.
Esten’s NHL betting record: 211-203
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