Devils vs Blue Jackets Picks and Prediction – 12/20/2024

The New Jersey Devils will be visiting Nationwide Arena on Thursday, where they will face off against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Get the rest of our free NHL picks here! New Jersey is the number one team in the Metropolitan division, entering this game with a 21-10-3 record. The Devils are riding a three game win streak, most recently defeating the Blues 4-1 on Tuesday. Jacob Markstrom will be New Jersey’s starting goaltender on Thursday, he’s posted an impressive 2.29 goals against average to go along with his 16-6-2 record. The Devils are scoring 3.56 goals per game, while giving up just 2.55 defensively.

The Columbus Blue Jackets currently sit eighth in the Metropolitan, putting together a record of 12-15-5. Columbus is in the midst of a five game losing skid, as they are coming off a 5-3 loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. Adam Fantilli scored his sixth goal of the year in this game, while Jet Greaves made 28 saves. Elvis Merzlikins will be the Blue Jackets’ starting goaltender in this game, he’s posted a 3.11 goal against average to go along with his 9-9-2 record. Columbus has been a disaster on the defensive end, allowing 3.63 goals per game (30th in NHL). The Blue Jackets are scoring 3.22 goals a game led by Kirill Marchenko’s team-leading 11 goals. 

New Jersey will be on the hunt for their fourth straight win on Thursday, while the Blue Jackets are desperate to bring their five game losing streak to an end. Expect Markstrom to be sound in this game, leading New Jersey to the win. Final score prediction, Devils win and cover the puck line 5-2.