Florida Panthers at Columbus Blue Jackets Preview

Florida comes into this game with 36 points on the season, and that has them in third place in the Central Division. The Panthers were expected to be a playoff contender this season, but this team has a legitimate shot at winning the division title.

The Blue Jackets are heading in the wrong direction, and they have now lost seven of their last nine games. Columbus has managed to pick up just 25 points on the year, and they are chasing the Chicago Blackhawks for the fourth spot in the division. 

The Florida Panthers are -140 in this matchup with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night.

Panthers Playing With Some Pace

The Florida Panthers scored four goals on Tuesday night, and they are averaging 3.32 goals per game. Florida is also allowing over 2.8 goals per contest, but this is a team that is not afraid to push the pace against any team.

Jonathan Huberdeau leads the team with 10 goals and 20 assists, but Florida showed how much offense they have in picking up the win on Tuesday night. The Panthers have converted on 26 percent of their power-play chances, and that unit helped to decide the outcome in the first meeting between these teams. 

Blue Jackets Looking For Revenge

After falling to the Panthers 4-2 on Tuesday night, Columbus will have revenge on their minds in this game. The Blue Jackets simply can’t afford to keep falling in the Central Division standings, and they must pick up some points on their home ice.

Cam Atkinson has done his part for the Jackets, leading the team with 10 goals and 19 points. Defenseman Seth Jones has chipped in with 12 assists, but Columbus needs to have more players step up, especially from the third and fourth lines. 

Columbus gave up a pair of power-play goals in the loss to the Panthers on Tuesday, and they must be more disciplined in this game. The Blue Jackets are killing off just 72 percent of their penalties, and they have to stop putting their goaltenders in tough spots. 

Blue Jackets Battle on Thursday Night

Returning to home ice on Tuesday night did now help the Blue Jackets stop this skid, and the team wasn’t sharp on either end of the ice. Playing the Panthers for the second straight game should allow Columbus to figure some things out, and it should be a much better effort from the Blue Jackets in this game.

Columbus just continues to struggle to put pucks in the back of the net, and goal-scoring is needed to knock off the Panthers. Expect a better defensive effort from the Blue Jackets on Tuesday, and that should give them a chance to steal this game late.

The Blue Jackets are going to turn things around eventually, and it just feels like Thursday night would be a great opportunity to do just that.