Detroit Red Wings vs. Columbus Blue Jackets November 19 Betting Preview

The Columbus Blue Jackets are back after another win on the scoresheet and, hopefully, your betting ticket. CBJ faces the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night in this NHL matchup. The Red Wings arrive in Columbus, having snapped a four-game losing streak in their last game.

Columbus Blue Jackets Betting Preview

With the 6-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens on November 17; the Columbus Blue Jackets improved their record to 6-9-1. CBJ has won three of its last four games.

We’re starting to get scoring from across the lineup, which the Blue Jackets desperately need. Cole Sillinger, Gustav Nyquist, Boone Jenner, and Mathieu Olivier scored against Montreal, while Sean Kuraly scored twice and added an assist. Joonas Korpisalo made thirty-eight saves in the win.

With Elvis Merzlikins out for a week or two and CBJ playing on back-to-back nights, we’re likely to see both Korpisalo and Daniil Tarasov.

We’d start Koripsalo, who has a 3-1-1 record, with a 3.76 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage tomorrow against Florida. If Tarasov gets the start for the Blue Jackets, he has a 1-3-0 record, with a 3.57 goals-against average and a .893 save percentage.

The Blue Jackets’ recent scoring surge has raised their average goals per game to 3.06, while the CBJ are giving up 4.31 goals against per game. Columbus’ powerplay didn’t add another goal to its total against Montreal and remains at a 10.3% conversion rate. CBJ’s penalty killers are killing off 77.8% of Blue Jacket penalties.

Detroit Red Wings Betting Preview

After an impressive start to the season, the Detroit Red Wings fell back to earth with a four-game losing streak. After defeating the San Jose Sharks 7-4 on November 17th, the Red Wings have an 8-5-4 record.

Filip Hronek, David Perron, Jake Walman, Joe Veleno, Moritz Seider, Pius Suter, and Dominik Kubalik scored for the Red Wings against the Sharks. Ville Husso made twenty-one saves for the win.

Husso has the makings of an elite goalie, but his stats and record have dropped off alongside the Red Wings’ losing streak. Despite not playing again until November 23rd, we expect the Red Wings to follow their pretty established goaltending rotation and will start Alex Nedeljkovic.

If Nedeljkovic gets the start, he has a 2-3-1 record, with a 4.33 goals-against average and a .873 save percentage. If Detroit eschews their goaltending rotation and starts Husso, he has a 6-2-3 record, with a 2.69 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage.

The Detroit Red Wings are averaging 3.12 goals per game and 3.29 goals against per game. The Red Wings’ powerplay has been all right, converting on 18.8% of their chances, while the penalty kill statistically looks a lot like Columbus’, as Detroit’s penalty killers have been successful 78.8% of the time, giving up eleven goals (CBJ PK: 77.8%, ten goals against.)

Red Wings vs. Blue Jackets Odds

The Detroit Red Wings are the moneyline favorite listed at (-137) odds, while CBJ is the underdog at (+114).

Our Prediction

We predict that the Columbus Blue Jackets will make it three wins in a row in a matchup likely to feature backup goalies. The Detroit Red Wings are a good hockey team with an even brighter future, but CBJ will send the Red Wings back to Michigan with another loss.

We’ll take the Blue Jackets as the moneyline underdog at (+114).

And considering that four of CBJ’s last five games have exceeded a 6.5 goal spread, and Detroit has surpassed that total in three of their previous five games, we’re taking the over in this one.