Blackhawks vs Blue Jackets

Connor Bedard rolls into Nationwide Arena trying to derail a Columbus team riding a five-game winning streak and an 8-1-0 surge since Rick Bowness took over, but the moneyline still points to the Blue Jackets at -150. Chicago just snapped a 0-3-2 skid with a 6-3 win over San Jose and has quietly taken points in five of its last six road games, yet Columbus has already handled this matchup once in the past week with a 4-2 road win powered by Charlie Coyle’s hat trick and another solid effort from Elvis Merzlikins. The Jackets are missing depth defender Brendan Smith after knee surgery, while Chicago gets a major boost from Bedard’s recent return from injured reserve, but the core rotations on both confirmed ESPN rosters remain intact, leaving Columbus with the more stable blue line and deeper forward group. Historically, Chicago has traveled well to Nationwide with a 7-3-0 run in its last 10 visits and Bedard already has six points in five games against Columbus, but Coyle’s recent dominance in this head-to-head and the Jackets’ overall 27-20-7 record in a live Eastern wild-card race suggest their current form is closer to a true favorite than the line fully reflects. With Columbus surging, getting stronger goaltending overall from Merzlikins than Chicago has from its tandem, and owning more urgency to bank home points in the second half of the season, laying -150 on the Blue Jackets earns a B+ grade: strong win probability, but a price that trims the upside. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 04/02/2026 09:22

With Columbus scoring five in its latest win over St. Louis and averaging north of four goals per game during its current five-game heater, and Chicago coming off a six-goal outburst against San Jose, this matchup sets up as a strong candidate to clear the total of 6 at -125. The most recent meeting between these clubs finished 4-2 for Columbus, and the Jackets’ offensive push under Bowness has been driven by an activated blue line with Zach Werenski on a multi-game point streak and a deep mix of skill up front, while Bedard continues to drive Chicago’s attack with 44 points in 31 games and consistent production against Columbus. Merzlikins’ season numbers 3.67 GAA, .884 save percentage tell you Columbus wins more by outscoring teams than locking games down, and Chicago’s goaltending has also been volatile despite a red-hot penalty kill that’s gone 22-for-23 over its last seven road games, a profile that often produces 5-on-5 scoring and late push chances on both sides. Factor in that the Jackets are pushing to firm up their playoff position while the Blackhawks, already past the 50-game mark, need to open up their offense to claw toward the fringe of the race, and the game script leans toward a 4-3 or 5-2 type of scoreboard more often than not, making Over 6 at -125 a B-grade play given the juice but supported by current form and underlying numbers. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 04/02/2026 09:22

Although Columbus is the side to like straight up, the way these teams match up makes Chicago +1.5 at -188 an intriguing puckline angle, as the Blackhawks have earned points in five of their last six road games and are 7-3-0 in their past 10 trips to Nationwide Arena, with many of those contests decided by a single goal. The Jackets’ current five-game win streak includes several tight finishes, and their offensive surge has been balanced by merely average goaltending from Merzlikins, whose 3.67 GAA suggests that even in wins, opponents are finding the net with regularity. Chicago’s offense looks more dangerous now that Bedard is back from injured reserve and supported by secondary scorers like Ryan Donato and Ilya Mikheyev, who just combined for eight points in the 6-3 victory over San Jose, and that added punch raises the likelihood that the Hawks can keep this within one even if Columbus’ deeper roster and current 27-20-7 form ultimately win out. Columbus does lose some defensive depth with Brendan Smith sidelined after knee surgery, further nudging this toward a competitive, high-event game rather than a blowout, so Chicago +1.5 at -188 earns a B- grade: a high probability of cashing, but at a cost that limits value. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 04/02/2026 09:22