Columbus Blue Jackets vs Toronto Maple Leafs Picks and Predictions October 22nd 2024

Planning on watching today’s Maple Leafs and Blue Jackets game? Catch the action at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH, as the Blue Jackets hosts this showdown at 7:30 ET on ESPN+. The Maple Leafs are favored by -1.5 in this Eastern conference contest against the Blue Jackets. The game’s over/under currently sits at 6.5 goals.

Toronto vs. Columbus Key Information

• Teams: Maple Leafs at Blue Jackets
• Where: Nationwide Arena Columbus
• Date: Tuesday, October 22nd
• Betting Odds TOR -228 | CBJ +187 O/U 6.5

The Maple Leafs Can Win If…

With a 5-2 road win over the Lightning, the Maple Leafs improved to 4-2-0 this season. Toronto covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 7 goals went over the pre-game line of 6.5 goals.

Four different players scored for the Maple Leafs, with William Nylander leading the way with two goals. The game was tied 1-1 after the first period, but Toronto pulled away with four unanswered goals in the second period.

William Nylander opened the scoring for the Maple Leafs, finding the net for the fourth time this season. He added another goal in the second period, bringing his total to five. Auston Matthews scored his third goal of the season, while Max Pacioretty and Matthew Knies each added their second goals.

Mitchell Marner picked up two assists, giving him six on the season. Max Domi, who assisted on Nylander’s first goal, now has six assists as well. The Leafs took 29 shots on goal and scored once on the power play.

Toronto’s defense gave up a late power-play goal to the Lightning, but overall, they had a solid performance. Anthony Stolarz made 32 saves with a 94.1% save percentage, and the defense added 8 takeaways, 20 hits, and 18 blocks.

• The Maple Leafs have posted a 2-1 record in their previous three games. In these games, they have a 2-1 record vs the puck line and an over-under mark of 2-1.
• Toronto has put together a record of 6-4 in their last ten games (regular season). The team’s record vs the puck line was just 7-3, in addition to an over-under mark of 2-8.

The Blue Jackets Can Win If…

After a 3-1 loss to the Wild, the Blue Jackets are now 2-3-0 on the season. Columbus entered the game as underdogs on the puck line, with the total set at 6.5 goals. The combined 4 goals fell short of the line.

Columbus didn’t score until 18:35 in the third period, when Yegor Chinakhov found the net. By then, the Wild had already scored three times, including two goals in the final period.

Yegor Chinakhov netted his third goal of the season for Columbus, scoring with 1:25 left in the game. Sean Monahan picked up his third assist of the year, while David Jiricek added his first assist.

The Blue Jackets fired 24 shots on goal but were held scoreless until Chinakhov’s late tally. Columbus struggled with giveaways, committing 18 in the game.

Columbus allowed the first goal at 12:40 in the first period, then two more in the third, leading to a 3-1 loss. Daniil Tarasov made 32 saves with a 91.4% save percentage, and the Blue Jackets’ defense recorded 10 takeaways and 27 hits.

• The Blue Jackets have gone 1-2 over their last three regular season games. Across this span, their puck line record sits at 2-1 to go along with an over-under mark of 2-1.
• The Blue Jackets have gone 3-7 over their last ten regular season games. Against the spread, Columbus went 5-5 in these games and finished with an over-under mark of 6-4.

The Lean

If you’re looking for a moneyline pick, my choice is the Blue Jackets to take down the Maple Leafs at home. With the moneyline currently at +187, I’m placing my bet on the Blue Jackets straight-up.

Our projections have the Blue Jackets pulling out a win as the underdog. But if you’re not as bullish as we are on the Blue Jackets, we’d recommend at least getting a bet down 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.

Leafs G Joseph Woll Might Return to Face Blue Jackets

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll could make his first start of the season Tuesday night when the Leafs visit the Columbus Blue Jackets. Woll has been recovering from groin tightness and missed the first six games of the season, but Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube indicated it is possible that Woll could return to action for the game against Columbus.

Toronto’s other goaltending options include Anthony Stolarz, who made his fifth start of the season in the Leafs’ 5-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday. Stolarz stopped 32 shots and made key saves during a critical five-on-three penalty kill in the second period. He also assisted on a power-play goal by Auston Matthews, which helped Toronto take the lead and score four unanswered goals in the second period.

Toronto’s other backup, Dennis Hildeby, has also started a game this season and could potentially start again if Woll is not ready to play.

Toronto’s Strong Homestand

The Maple Leafs are coming off a successful 3-1-0 homestand and are now set to play five of their next seven games on the road. After Monday’s victory over Tampa Bay, Morgan Rielly expressed the team’s readiness for this challenging part of the schedule, stating, “It’s good to have some breaks between games and practice time, but the guys want to get playing and get prepared for that tougher part of the schedule.”

Columbus Looking for Better Start

The Columbus Blue Jackets are hoping for a stronger start in Tuesday’s game after a sluggish opening period led to a 3-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. Despite trailing only 1-0 after the first period, Columbus couldn’t recover and allowed two more goals before finally scoring late in the game.

Columbus coach Dean Evason acknowledged the team’s poor start, saying, “If we’re not ready to play, it’s on me, it’s on the coaches, it’s on the players. There was one guy ready to go, and that was our goaltender (Daniil Tarasov).” Tarasov made 31 saves in the game and kept Columbus in the contest during a tough first period.

Zach Werenski, Columbus’ defenseman, also emphasized the need for a better effort, stating, “We have to give a better effort. We have a standard now of how we have to play. We’ve done that for four games, and (Saturday) we weren’t there.”

Key Factors for Both Teams

Woll’s Potential Return

Toronto could see Joseph Woll return to the net, bringing fresh energy after missing the first few games. His performance could be key, especially with Stolarz having played the night before.

Columbus’ Injury Troubles

The Blue Jackets were missing five key players in their last game, including captain Boone Jenner and starting goaltender Elvis Merzlikins. Their ability to recover from these injuries and find scoring consistency will be crucial.

Special Teams Efficiency

Both teams struggled on special teams in their last outings. Columbus was unable to capitalize on a four-minute power play, while Toronto’s penalty kill had some challenges but held strong when it mattered most. Special teams play could be a deciding factor in Tuesday’s contest.

Game Outlook

With Toronto coming off a strong win and potentially getting Woll back, they may have an edge going into this matchup. Columbus will need a quick start and improved play on special teams if they hope to split their four-game homestand.

Prediction

If Woll plays and is sharp, Toronto’s balanced offense and momentum from their win over Tampa Bay could be too much for a banged-up Blue Jackets squad.

Maple Leafs 4, Blue Jackets 2