Adam Williams presents his prediction for the NHL match.
Nathan MacKinnon is still chasing Nikita Kucherov in the race for the Art Ross Trophy, and the Columbus Blue Jackets could be just the right opponent to help him boost his points tally.
Columbus Blue Jackets
This squad has proven it can be part of high-scoring encounters. In their most recent fixture, they faced the Nashville Predators in a goal-filled clash that ended 8:4. And that wasn’t an isolated case. The team has recently been involved in four games that surpassed 5.5 goals in total and three that exceeded 8.5. However, they aren’t solely generating those numbers themselves—their defensive record remains one of the poorest in the league. Ranked 27th in goals conceded, they are letting in an average of 3.36 goals per game.
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche have recently stayed away from such high-scoring affairs, thanks in large part to solid goaltending—something that was missing earlier in the season. As a result, three goals have often been enough for them to get the job done. In their last outing against the Chicago Blackhawks, the game was tied (2:2) at the end of regulation, with the team clinching the win via a shootout. A standout in that game was Spencer Knight, who turned in a stellar 93.5% save percentage and continued the consistency he has shown throughout the campaign. The Columbus Blue Jackets don’t have a netminder of that level. Their starter, Elvis Merzlikins, has posted just an 89.4% save percentage this season and managed only 85.7% against the Nashville Predators.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs Colorado Avalanche Prediction
The tendency toward high-scoring games is also evident in the recent head-to-head meetings. Three of their last five encounters exceeded 6.5 total goals, while another saw six goals scored—five of them by the Colorado Avalanche. All signs point to another potentially high-scoring affair.
