NHL Blowout Crusher
(NHL) Chicago vs. Columbus,
Money Line: -123.00 Columbus (Home)
Result: Loss
ASA TOP PLAY ON 10* Columbus Blue Jackets Money Line -125 over Chicago Blackhawks at 7 PM ET - From a situational perspective, this one is a fantastic one in terms of how it sets up. Columbus has gone a perfect 4-0 this season when they have entered a game off back to back losses. Their coach John Tortorella is a very demanding coach and you can bet he is on his team big after any loss but particularly back to back defeats. Sure enough the Jackets have responded each time when in this situation this season and the combined score has been 15 to 7 in those victories. Columbus has scored an average of 3.5 goals per game on home ice this season. Chicago got the shootout win, 6-5, in a crazy high-scoring win over the Blue Jackets Tuesday. That kind of high-scoring effort from the Blackhawks on the road is absolutely the exception rather than the norm this season. Their prior road game was a 5-3 loss at Carolina and, prior to that, Chicago had played 10 road games and only scored well in one of them. In the other 9 the Blackhawks scored an average of only 1.6 goals per game. In other words, their performance Tuesday was most definitely an aberration and the Blue Jackets are set up well to get revenge tonight at a great price. Chicago is expected to start Malcolm Subban in this one and there is a reason that, long-term in the NHL, he has always been a back-up rather than the starter. The Blackhawks Subban had a 3.17 GAA last season and historically has struggled on the road. He has been better than expected early this season but that is a very small sample size and his long-term numbers tell the full story. Look for Joonas Korpisalo to respond in the crease for the Blue Jackets tonight as he had been solid in 2 of 3 starts against Chicago before struggling in Tuesday's shootout loss. It is payback time for Columbus and Korpisalo in this one! Considering all of the above factors, look for a home ice blowout in this one. Take the BLUE JACKETS