Pittsburgh at Columbus

The Columbus Blue Jackets finally broke through last year to become a playoff team. They made a quick exit against tonight's opponent the Pittsburgh Penguins, who knocked them off in six games in the opening round. The problem here is the Penguins appear to be advancing, while the Blue Jackets, long an NHL doormat, have slipped back to a team that has not looked playoff caliber all season, and their record agrees. The Penguins have been unfazed on the road where the own a 9-2-2 mark on the season. Pittsburgh has also played to a 17-11 mark to the UNDER this season on the strength of allowing 2.3 goals per contest, which drops to 2.1 goals allowed vs. teams under .400. Columbus has had little success on the season fending off elite teams as they own a 1-6 mark on the season when facing a team over .670, scoring on average just 2 goals a game against them. Pittsburgh has defended very well over their last nine games while the offense has not been crisp. Despite that fact, they are 6-3, having scored more than 3 goals just one time. The Penguins own a stellar 90-43 mark in their last 133 games vs. a losing team, and have played UNDER to the tune of 8-1 in their last nine on no rest. The Blue Jackets have bitten the bullet in their last 53 games vs. a team over .600 at 13-40, and have played six of their last seven to the UNDER as well. The Penguins are 10-2 in the last 12 meetings in this series, including 7-1 in their last eight in Columbus. Take Pittsburgh and the UNDER.