Blue Jackets vs Ducks

Leo Carlsson leads a Ducks team that, despite back-to-back losses and a 5-4-1 mark over its last 10, should be in a strong bounce-back spot at home against a Blue Jackets club that has dropped six of its last seven and continues to leak chances defensively on this road swing. Columbus just edged Anaheim 4-3 in overtime on Tuesday behind Zach Werenski’s two-goal performance and Adam Fantilli’s OT winner, but that snapped a five-game skid and was followed by a 5-2 home loss to Minnesota, reinforcing how fragile the Jackets remain even with Werenski driving their offense from the blue line. Anaheim’s underlying profile is still better: the Ducks are 11-5-0 at Honda Center and sit in a tight race near the top of the Pacific, while the Jackets sit eighth in the Metro and are only 7-8-3 away from home, with a negative goal differential and mounting pressure just to stay in the playoff conversation as they approach the midseason mark. Both teams enter with no players listed on the official injury report for this game, giving the Ducks their full array of weapons — including Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier and Troy Terry up front plus Lukas Dostal in net — against a Columbus roster that leans heavily on Werenski and a young forward core and has struggled to close out one-goal games despite a 6-5-5 record in those spots. Given Anaheim’s stronger home form, higher ceiling at even strength, and the situational edge of staying in California while Columbus travels west after another draining loss, I’m willing to lay the modest price on the Ducks moneyline at -115, but recent volatility on both sides keeps this at a B-grade play rather than something higher. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 20/12/2025 09:44

With the total sitting at 6.5 and juiced to the Over, this matchup sets up for another track meet after their 4-3 overtime game earlier in the week, especially given the way both defenses have been trending. Columbus has allowed 3.7 goals per game over its last 10 while scoring 3.1, and Anaheim sits in a similar band, giving up 3.6 per night over that same span, a profile that already leans toward high-event hockey before you factor in recent results like the Ducks’ 8-3 home loss to Dallas and the Jackets’ 5-2 defeat to Minnesota. The Ducks still carry top-end finishing with Carlsson, Gauthier and Terry, and the Jackets’ attack is increasingly running through Werenski’s hot stick and Fantilli’s emerging playmaking, which just produced four Columbus goals against this same Anaheim group; at the same time, Dostal is coming off being chased early by the Stars and Jet Greaves has been asked to hold up behind a porous Columbus blue line. With no major injuries listed for either side, both coaches should be able to roll four lines and multiple power-play looks, and the combination of Anaheim’s need to answer after an embarrassing home loss and Columbus’s tendency to chase games when trailing points to stretched third-period hockey and empty-net opportunities. The heavy juice on the Over keeps this from being more than a B- grade, but given the recent head-to-head, leaky goaltending form and both teams’ offensive talent, I lean Over 6.5 at -130. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 20/12/2025 09:44

The puckline is trickier because these teams already played a one-goal overtime game on Tuesday and Columbus has been involved in a ton of close contests, going 6-5-5 in one-goal decisions, but I still lean toward the higher-upside Ducks -1.5 at 205 rather than laying the heavy price with the Jackets. Anaheim owns an 11-5-0 home record and a +4 goal differential on the season, while Columbus sits at 7-8-3 on the road with a -18 differential overall, and the recent form lines suggest the Jackets are more likely to crack first if this turns into another special-teams or third-period surge — especially after conceding five to Minnesota and watching Werenski’s heroics wasted in a 5-2 loss. The Ducks’ offensive ceiling at Honda Center, highlighted by Carlsson, Gauthier and Terry plus productive depth like Ryan Poehling and Beckett Sennecke, remains higher than what Columbus typically brings as a road underdog despite Werenski’s current scoring streak; and with no injuries listed on either side, Anaheim’s full lineup and superior scoring depth should give it better odds of stretching a late lead into a multi-goal margin via forecheck pressure and an empty-netter. That said, the recent 4-3 OT result between these clubs and the Jackets’ knack for hanging around keep the likelihood of another tight finish high, so this is a more speculative, payout-driven position rather than a strong edge, and I grade Ducks -1.5 (205) as a C+ puckline play. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 20/12/2025 09:44