Columbus Blue Jackets vs New Jersey Devils Picks and Predictions December 19th 2024

Devils Cruising After Offseason Changes, Visit Struggling Blue Jackets

The New Jersey Devils look to maintain their winning momentum as they face the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are mired in a tough stretch.

Devils Thriving After Strategic Overhaul

The New Jersey Devils are proving that smart offseason moves can pay immediate dividends. More than a third of the way into the 2024-25 season, the Devils sit atop the Metropolitan Division with 45 points in 34 games. They’ve won three straight and six of their last nine, positioning themselves as serious contenders.

After a disappointing 81-point season last year, general manager Tom Fitzgerald took bold steps to revitalize the roster. Hiring coach Sheldon Keefe, acquiring goaltender Jacob Markstrom, and strengthening the blue line with Brett Pesce and Johnathan Kovacevic have transformed the Devils into a defensive powerhouse.

This season, the Devils are allowing just 2.56 goals per game, a dramatic improvement from their 3.43 average last season.

“We had boxes to check in the summer, and we did that,” Fitzgerald said. “We’re just taking it one day at a time. We don’t get too far ahead of ourselves.”

Their recent success includes a commanding 4-1 road win against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. Prior to that, the Devils scored four third-period goals to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks.

“We’ve been playing good defensive hockey, with special teams coming up clutch,” said Markstrom. “We capitalized on our chances, and that’s been the difference.”

Blue Jackets Struggling to Find Consistency

In stark contrast, the Columbus Blue Jackets are searching for answers. They’ve dropped five straight games and eight of their last nine (1-6-2), with slow starts consistently putting them in a hole.

Tuesday’s 5-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning was emblematic of their struggles. Trailing 4-0, Columbus showed fight by cutting the deficit to one goal but ultimately fell short.

“Down 4-0 is kind of embarrassing,” rookie forward Adam Fantilli said. “We wanted to come in and have a great game. Obviously, that wasn’t it from the start.”

The Blue Jackets have allowed the first goal in 15 of their 32 games this season and have only managed three wins in such scenarios. This pattern has contributed to their current 0-3-2 slide.

“We have to play the full 60 minutes if we want to win hockey games,” said forward Mikael Pyyhtia.

Key Matchup

Thursday’s game presents a clash between two teams trending in opposite directions. The Devils are riding a wave of momentum, bolstered by strong goaltending and clutch scoring. The Blue Jackets, on the other hand, are desperate to reverse their fortunes and rediscover their form.

For New Jersey, maintaining defensive discipline and capitalizing on scoring opportunities will be key. Columbus must focus on starting strong and playing a full, consistent game to avoid falling behind early.

As the Devils aim to extend their win streak and the Blue Jackets look to snap theirs, this matchup offers a glimpse into two very different trajectories.

Columbus Blue Jackets vs New Jersey Devils December 19th 2024

Looking to win big? The Devils and Blue Jackets face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Blue Jackets are hosting the game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH. The Devils are favored by -1.5 in this Metropolitan division showdown. The game’s over/under is currently at 6.5 goals.

New Jersey vs. Columbus Key Information

• Teams: Devils at Blue Jackets
• Where: Nationwide Arena Columbus
• Date: Thursday, December 19th
• Betting Odds NJ -223 | CBJ +183 O/U 6.5

The Devils Can Win If…

New Jersey’s 3-0 loss to the Flames dropped their record to 21-10-3. The Devils were favored on the puck line, but failed to cover. The total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 3 fell short of that mark.

All the scoring came in the third period, with the Devils unable to find the net. Blake Coleman scored twice for Calgary, including an empty-net goal to seal the game.

In their recent game against Calgary, the Devils were shut out, managing 22 shots on goal but failing to find the net. They had 19 giveaways and didn’t score in any period, including on the power play.

New Jersey was blanked for the first time this season, with no players scoring or registering an assist.

Defensively, the Devils held strong through two periods, but they allowed three goals in the third, including an empty-netter. They finished with 22 hits and 5 takeaways.

• Through their last three games, the Devils have a record of 3-0. In these games, they have a 3-0 record vs the puck line and an over-under mark of 0-3.
• New Jersey 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 4-6, in addition to an over-under mark of 2-8.

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The Blue Jackets Can Win If…

The Blue Jackets fell to 12-15-5 after a 7-2 loss to the Capitals. Columbus entered as underdogs on the puck line, and the total of 9 goals surpassed the pre-game line of 6.5.

Columbus gave up 5 goals in the first period, with the Capitals scoring just 56 seconds into the game. Damon Severson and Kevin Labanc each scored for the Blue Jackets, but it wasn’t enough to mount a comeback.

Columbus fired 36 shots on goal in their 7-2 loss to Washington but only found the net twice. Damon Severson scored his fourth goal of the season, while Kevin Labanc added his second. The Blue Jackets were held scoreless in the first period before Severson got them on the board 49 seconds into the second.

Sean Monahan picked up his fifth assist of the season on Labanc’s goal, and Zach Aston-Reese earned his second assist. Columbus struggled with giveaways, committing 13 in the game.

Columbus’ defense struggled in their last game, giving up 7 goals on 22 shots from Washington. Goalie Daniil Tarasov made 15 saves but had a save percentage of just 68.2%. The Blue Jackets’ defense also recorded 10 takeaways and 17 hits. They gave up the first 5 goals of the game, including one just 56 seconds into the first period and another at 5:02 in the first. After closing the gap to 6-2, they allowed the final goal at 1:26 in the 3rd period.

• Across Columbus’s last three regular season games, their record sits at 0-3. This includes going 0-3 vs. the puck line along with an over-under mark of 2-1.
• The Blue Jackets have gone 2-8 over their last ten regular season games. Their record vs the puck line sits at 3-7 in these matchups, while posting a 6-4 over-under mark.

The Lean

If you’re looking for a moneyline pick, my choice is the Blue Jackets to take down the Devils at home. With the moneyline currently at +183, 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.