Pittsburgh Penguins vs Columbus Blue Jackets January 7th 2025

The Blue Jackets and Penguins are set to face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Penguins will host the game at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. The over/under goal line for this matchup is currently at 6.5 goals, and the Penguins are favored by -1.5 vs. the Blue Jackets.

Columbus vs. Pittsburgh Key Information

• Teams: Blue Jackets at Penguins
• Where: PPG Paints Arena Pittsburgh
• Date: Tuesday, January 7th
• Betting Odds PIT -147 | CBJ +124 O/U 6.5

The Blue Jackets Can Win If…

Columbus fell to 17-17-6 after a 7-2 road loss to the Capitals. The Blue Jackets were underdogs on the puck line, and the total of 9 goals easily surpassed the 6.5 set before the game.

Defensively, Columbus struggled from the start, allowing the Capitals to score just 56 seconds into the game. By the end of the first period, they had given up 5 goals.

Columbus fired 36 shots on goal but only found the net twice in their 7-2 loss to Washington. 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 period.

Sean Monahan picked up his fifth assist of the season, and Zach Aston-Reese recorded his second. Columbus struggled with giveaways, committing 13 in the game.

Columbus’ defense struggled early, giving up five goals in the first period, including the first just 56 seconds into the game. They conceded two more in the second and third periods, leading to a 7-2 loss. Goalie Daniil Tarasov made 15 saves but posted a 68.2% save percentage.

• Spanning across their last three games, Columbus have gone 2-1. In these games, they have a 2-1 record vs the puck line and an over-under mark of 3-0.
• Through their last ten regular season contests, Columbus has a record of 5-5. Their record against the puck line in this stretch is 5-5 to go along with an over-under mark of 7-3.

The Penguins Can Win If…

The Penguins moved closer to .500 with a 3-1 road win over the Canadiens, bringing their record to 17-18-7. Pittsburgh, favored by -1.5 goals, covered the puck line, and the total of 4 goals fell short of the pre-game line of 6.5.

Sidney Crosby led the way with two goals, including one in the first period at 15:57. Blake Lizotte added an empty-netter at 19:15 in the third to seal the victory.

Sidney Crosby led the Penguins’ offense in their 3-1 win over Montreal, scoring twice. He netted his fourth goal of the season at 4:03 in the first period and added a fifth on a power play at 1:20 in the second. Blake Lizotte closed out the scoring with an empty-netter, his second goal of the year, with 0:45 left in the game.

Pittsburgh took 24 shots on goal and recorded 14 giveaways. The Penguins scored in each period, including Lizotte’s empty-netter. Lars Eller picked up his third assist on the empty-net goal, while Kris Letang earned his third assist of the season on Crosby’s second goal. Erik Karlsson now has seven assists this year.

Defensively, the Penguins will look to build on a strong performance, where they gave up just one goal to the Canadiens. Alex Nedeljkovic had 25 saves with a 96.2% save percentage, and the defense added 5 takeaways and 19 hits. The only goal they allowed came at 5:32 into the 3rd period.

• Across Pittsburgh’s last three regular season games, their record sits at 0-3. Against the spread, they have a strong mark of 2-1 along with an over-under record of 2-1.
• Across Pittsburgh’s last ten regular season games, their record sits at 4-6. Their record vs the puck line sits at 7-3 in these matchups, while posting a 5-5 over-under mark.

The Lean

If you’re looking for a moneyline pick, my choice is the Penguins to take down the Blue Jackets at home. With the moneyline currently at -147, I’m placing my bet on the Penguins straight-up.

When it comes to my suggested pick for the puck line, I’d advise taking the Blue Jackets to cover. Even in the event of a Penguins victory, this matchup is likely to remain closely contested, and the Blue Jackets should cover the puck line.

For those looking at the over/under line set at 6.5 goals, our expectation is that this game will surpass that mark, and we suggest making a bet on the over.

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Penguins Look to Stay Hot at Home Against the Blue Jackets

The Pittsburgh Penguins are back at PPG Paints Arena, hoping to shake off a rough road trip and keep their home streak alive. They’ve won three straight in front of their fans but are still stinging from an 0-1-2 stretch away from home. On the other side, the Columbus Blue Jackets are rolling, with solid recent performances giving them a much-needed confidence boost.

Penguins: Home Comforts and Areas to Fix

Pittsburgh’s road trip ended on a sour note with a 4-3 overtime loss to Carolina, a game where they jumped out to an early 2-0 lead but got outplayed in the second period. Head coach Mike Sullivan wasn’t thrilled:

Still, there are bright spots:

• Erik Karlsson is heating up, with nine points in his last nine games. He’s been a steady force on both ends of the ice.
• Michael Bunting scored in the last game and found the net earlier this season in a 6-2 loss to Columbus.

The Penguins know their home ice has been a safe haven lately, with three straight wins at PPG Paints Arena. They’ll look to make it four in a row and avenge their earlier loss to Columbus.

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Blue Jackets: Momentum is Building

The Blue Jackets are starting to click. They’re 5-2-1 in their last eight games and just knocked off the St. Louis Blues 6-4. Hard work and solid contributions from key players are paying off.

• Zach Werenski has been a star. He’s on a 15-game home point streak, the longest by a defenseman since Ray Bourque’s streak in 1992-93.
• Dmitri Voronkov scored twice in their last game and also had a big showing the last time they faced Pittsburgh, with a goal and an assist.

Columbus head coach Dean Evason had high praise for Werenski:

What to Watch For

• Why Pittsburgh Could Win: They’re playing well at home, Karlsson is in great form, and they’ll be motivated to even the score after losing to Columbus earlier this season.
• Why Columbus Could Steal It: They’re riding momentum, Werenski is red-hot, and they’ve already proven they can beat Pittsburgh this season.

The Bottom Line

The Penguins are looking to reset and keep their home streak alive, while the Blue Jackets want to keep their recent surge going. Both teams have something to prove, and with players like Karlsson and Werenski in the spotlight, it’s shaping up to be a fun and competitive matchup.

Will Pittsburgh lock down another win at home, or can Columbus keep climbing? Tune in Tuesday night to see how it all plays out.