Toronto Maple Leafs vs Columbus Blue Jackets Prediction, 12/29/2023 NHL Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Columbus Blue Jackets

Date: Friday, December 29, 2023

Location: Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH

TV: Bally Sports Ohio

Odds/Point Spread: Maple Leafs (-200) Blue Jackets (+163)

The Toronto Maple Leafs (17-9-6) are headed to Nationwide Arena on Friday where they will go up against the Columbus Blue Jackets (11-18-7). The moneyline on this game has the Maple Leafs at -200 and the Blue Jackets are sitting at +163. The total has been set at 7.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will look to clean up some issues after taking a 4-2 loss to the Senators in their previous game. Toronto tallied 7 minutes in the box in this matchup. The Maple Leafs didn't have their best offensive outing in the loss. Furthermore, they had 3 power play opportunities but weren't able to make the most of them. For the game, they tallied a score on 2 of the 36 shots they attempted.

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Concerning scoring goals, the Toronto Maple Leafs have earned 113 goals (8th in the league) so far this year and have surrendered 108. For the current campaign, they have 40 points and their points percentage comes in at .625. Toronto has 94 power play opportunities and they have tallied 24 goals out of those attempts, earning them a percentage of 25.53%. At even strength, the Maple Leafs have conceded 88 goals while notching 89 of their own. Toronto has taken 1,046 shots and is the owner of a shooting percentage of 10.8%. The Maple Leafs so far have had 1,037 shots attempted against them and have a save percentage of .896. Toronto Maple Leafs opponents have 97 power play tries (31st in hockey) and have scored 20 goals in those chances.

The player between the pipes for this game is Ilya Samsonov. Samsonov has played in 145 games over the course of his professional hockey career. He has accumulated a record of 84-34-18 and he has started in 133 games. Opponents have notched 370 goals versus Samsonov in his career and his goals against average is 2.75. Samsonov has seen 3,873 shot attempts against him and has gathered 3,503 saves. His save percentage sits at .904 in his 8,070 mins on the ice. In his career, Samsonov has compiled 65 quality starts and his rate for quality starts is .489.

Their last time out, Columbus opposed the Devils in a matchup where the Blue Jackets were on the wrong end of the score by a final of 4-3. They had 3 attempts on the power play in this contest but weren't able to notch a goal. The Blue Jackets scored 3 goals of the 29 shots on goal they attempted.

On the campaign, the Columbus Blue Jackets have 111 goals, 29 points, as well as a points percentage of .403. They have allowed 131 goals to be scored by way of 113 goals at even strength and 18 goals while they had less men on the ice. The Blue Jackets have 96 goals at even strength and 15 goals (25th in pro hockey) while on the power play. They have earned 101 opportunities on the power play and they have accumulated a power play rate of 14.85%. Columbus has taken 1,072 shots (10th in pro hockey) and has accumulated a shooting percentage of 10.35%, while allowing the opposition 1,231 shots. They have recorded a penalty kill percentage of 82.00% on their opponents 100 power play chances, and their save percentage comes in at 89.4%.

For the opposition you are going to see Elvis Merzlikins patrolling the crease. He has racked up 4,782 stops out of the 5,277 shots attempted against him, giving him a save % of .906. Merzlikins is the owner of a career record of 62-70-28 and has been in net for 172 games. He has been a starter 159 games and his ice time sits at 9,448 mins. Merzlikins' quality start rate comes in at 48.4% and he has 77 quality starts in his professional career. His opposition is averaging 3.14 goals/game and he has allowed 495 goals altogether.

Who will win tonight's NHL game against the spread or moneyline?

Tony's Pick: Take Toronto (-200)

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