The Ottawa Senators visit the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight. Both of these teams are playing out the remaining games but have different outlooks on the season. The Senators, who were expected to have a better season, couldn't recover from early season injuries. The Blue Jackets, on the other hand, were surprisingly competitive for most of the season. Although their defense was atrocious, they were able to stay in games with their goal scoring.
I like to target games like these for Overs and will be doing so over the next week as the regular season comes to an end. In matchups like this, where 2 teams are out of the playoff race, you tend to see more of a wide open, sloppy style of hockey. Most of these non-playoff teams have trouble on defense, which takes attention to detail. Last night's New Jersey/Buffalo game, for example, was one of the sloppiest games I have watched this season, bad turnovers and goaltending lead to a total of 7 goals being scored. Since April 9th, in games with this similar matchup, the Over of 6 is 11-3-3 in those games.
At home this season, where Overs are 23-11, the Jackets are averaging 3.37 goals per game and they are allowing 3.53. On the road this season, where Overs are 14-21, the Senators average 2.77 goals per game and they are allowing 3.33 goals per game. In Ottawa's last ten games, overall, the Over is 5-3-2. In the Blue Jackets' last ten games, overall, the Over is 4-3-2. I also like Both teams to score in the first period, in this contest. In first periods, on the road, the Senators average .077 goals for and 1.03 goals against. In first periods, at home, the Blue Jackets average 1.08 goals for and 1.16 goals against.
This is the third meeting of the season between these teams, with both games staying under the total but the both teams to score in the first perio props cashed in both games. Despite that, I am still riding with the game over in this one as well as the 1st period BTTS bet.
