Philadelphia Flyers vs Columbus Blue Jackets Prediction: Best Bet for Saturday

Philadelphia is 2-6-3 on the road and scores 2.24 goals per game, and Columbus already beat the Flyers 4-3 in overtime in this building in October. Neither team is scaring the league, but Saturday's matchup keeps handing the same small edges to the home side.

The Matchup

Columbus is 7-10-0, scoring 2.35 goals per game and allowing 3.18, a -0.82 differential. Kent Johnson leads the Blue Jackets with 8 goals and 17 points, and Zach Werenski has 12 assists from the blue line. Columbus is 6-5-0 at Nationwide Arena, and its season has genuine highs in it: a 7-2 win over Colorado and a shootout win over Dallas in the last two weeks. The Blue Jackets also beat Philadelphia 4-3 in overtime in Columbus on October 27, the result Saturday's visitors have to answer.

Philadelphia is 5-10-6, scoring 2.24 per game and allowing 3.24 for a -1.00 differential. Matvei Michkov leads the Flyers with 10 goals and 15 points, and Trevor Zegras has 10 assists. The road record is the season in miniature: 2-6-3 away from home, with six overtime losses overall telling the story of a team that hangs around and loses late. Philadelphia has lost four of its last five, and the one win in that run came at Vancouver, the weakest team in the league this season.

Key Factors

In a game this low-scoring, the crease and the kill usually decide it. Columbus kills 73.9 percent of its penalties and Philadelphia converts 18.8 percent on the power play, while the Flyers kill 79.4 percent against a Blue Jackets power play at 18.6 percent, so neither unit owns a clear edge. The goaltending leans Columbus at the top: Cam Talbot is at 2.51 and .909 for the Blue Jackets, with Jet Greaves at 3.35 and .881, and Philadelphia's Joseph Woll is at 2.91 and .902 with Dan Vladar at 3.24 and .879. Columbus also carries a clean injury report into Saturday, with no players listed out.

Philadelphia's list is short but pointed. Noel Acciari is day-to-day with an upper body injury. Keep an eye on whether Acciari plays before placing a bet.

Nikita Grebenkin is out tonight. He is on injured reserve with an upper body injury. The Flyers' case is Michkov's finishing and a habit of dragging games to overtime, where anything can happen.

It is also the problem: a team that needs overtime to have a chance, on the road, against an opponent that already beat it in this building, is asking for the same coin flip that has landed wrong six times this season. Columbus does not need to be good on Saturday. The Blue Jackets need their normal home game, and Philadelphia's road season says that is usually enough.

Every pick is published with its line before the game. Odds via consensus sportsbooks at time of writing and move constantly. Must be 21+. If gambling is a problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.