The Carolina Hurricanes (22-13-1) travel to face off against the Columbus Blue Jackets (15-16-6) on Tuesday, December 31st. This game will be played at Nationwide Arena in Columbus and televised on ESPN+. The Hurricanes are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Blue Jackets are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Capitals. Puck drop is set for 8:00 ET.

Hurricanes vs Blue Jackets

The Carolina Hurricanes Are Coming Off A Win

With a 4-2 win over the Capitals, the Hurricanes moved to 22-13-1 this season. Carolina covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 6 goals matched the pre-game line.

The Hurricanes scored first, but the Capitals responded with two goals in the first period. Carolina then scored three unanswered goals to secure the win, including an empty-netter with 9 seconds left in the game.

The Columbus Blue Jackets Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Columbus fell to 15-16-6 after a 7-2 loss to the Capitals. The Blue Jackets’ defense struggled early, allowing five goals in the first period.

The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, but the teams combined for 9. As underdogs on the puck line, Columbus didn’t cover. They scored their first goal 49 seconds into the second period.

Carolina Offense Breakdown

Carolina’s offense fired 45 shots on goal and scored 4 times in their 4-2 win over Washington. Dmitry Orlov netted two goals, bringing his season total to 3. Martin Necas, who now has 6 goals on the year, also added a goal and picked up his 12th assist on Orlov’s second goal. Andrei Svechnikov sealed the game with an empty-netter, his 6th goal of the season.

The Hurricanes scored first at 5:59 in the opening period, and after falling behind 2-1, tied it up with 17:31 left in the second. They took the lead for good with 14:34 remaining in the second period and added their final goal with just 9 seconds left in the game.

Blue Jackets Offense Breakdown

Damon Severson netted his fourth goal of the season, and Kevin Labanc added his second in the Blue Jackets’ 7-2 loss to the Capitals. Columbus fired 36 shots on goal, with Severson and Labanc each taking three shots.

Adam Fantilli picked up his fourth assist on Severson’s goal, while Sean Monahan now has five assists after contributing on Labanc’s goal. Zach Aston-Reese also added his second assist of the season. The Blue Jackets were held scoreless in the first and third periods, with both goals coming in the second.

Carolina Team Defense

Despite giving up two late goals in the first period, Carolina’s defense regrouped and didn’t allow another, leading to a 4-2 win over the Capitals. Goalie Pyotr Kochetkov made 19 saves with a 90.5% save percentage, and the Hurricanes’ defense added 7 takeaways and 10 hits.

Columbus Team Defense

Defensively, Columbus struggled early, giving up five first-period goals, including the first just 56 seconds into the game. They also allowed one goal in the second and another late in the third. Daniil Tarasov made 15 saves with a 68.2% save percentage.

Hurricanes vs Blue Jackets Trends

• Across their ten previous road games, Carolina has an puck line mark of 2-8. Their straight up record in these matchups was 2-8 while averaging 2 goals per game.
• Across the Blue Jackets last ten home games, the team averaged 4 goals per game while allowing 3. Their record vs the puck line in these contests was 6-4, while going 6-4 straight-up.
• Looking back on the team’s last three games as the underdog, the Blue Jackets have a straight up record of 1-2. Their record vs the puck line in these games was 2-1.
• As the betting favorite, the Hurricanes have an puck line record of 3-2 in their last five games. In these matchups their, straight up record was 3-2.

Hurricanes vs Blue Jackets Prediction

If you’re looking for a moneyline pick, my choice is the Blue Jackets to take down the Hurricanes at home. With the moneyline currently at +186, I’m placing my bet on the Blue Jackets straight-up.

If you’re looking to get a bet down on this matchup, we foresee the Blue Jackets winning the underdog. However, if you’re not as confident in the Blue Jackets straight-up, we’d still recommend placing a bet on them to cover the puck line.

When considering the over/under line, which is currently at 6.5 goals, we believe that this game will go over that threshold, and we recommend wagering on the over.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.