by Chuck Sommers
Sunday, Feb 19, 2023
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Mullett Arena, Tempe, AZ
Where to watch: BSOH, BSAZ, NHLN, SNP, SNW, SNE, SN1
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Coyotes -135, Blue Jackets +115
FanDuel: Coyotes -135, Blue Jackets +106
BetMGM: Coyotes -140, Blue Jackets +115
Caesars: Coyotes -125, Blue Jackets +105
Season record
Blue Jackets: 18-34-4
Coyotes: 19-28-9
The All-Star break is over, the second half of the NHL season can officially begin, and we're bound for what should be a very exciting second half of the hockey season. Basketball and hockey are about to rule the roost in the sports betting world once the Super Bowl is done with, and we should all be very excited for what's to come. When the trade deadline hits and players switch teams, you know things are about to get hectic over these final 30 games or so. One way you can stay tuned with the action is following what our champion handicappers are doing in the world of the NHL. Look at ASA, Inc., reeling in a $6,750 profit off a 17-9-0 run. Al McMordie is also doing well on the ice with a 13-5-0 run and a net profit of $6,050. Scott Rickenbach has also been hanging strong with a lot of betting action, in what's been an unusual year, with a 24-18-0 run and reeling in $5,950. You know this action is going to be great now that games are back and a busy second half if on the horizon. All you need to do is head to our BEST BETS page at bigal.com to find out all of what we're trying to tell you. Make sure you're locked in at bigal.com and go to our Best Bets page to find out what our champion handicappers have to say in the world of the NHL!
Blue Jackets - Coyotes preview, prediction and analysis
The Columbus Blue Jackets will be playing the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday, February 19 in Tempe, Arizona.
The Columbus Blue Jackets won against the Dallas Stars on Saturday, February 18 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas with a score of 4-1. The Columbus Blue Jackets currently rank 8th in the Metropolitan Division.
Mathieu Olivier had a goal and two assists, Eric Robinson had a goal and an assist, Sean Kuraly had two assists, and Joonas Korpisalo made 28 saves for the Blue Jackets (18-34-4), who have won three of their past four following a four-game losing streak.
Forward Johnny Gaudreau, who had played 349 consecutive games, was unavailable because of a lower-body injury sustained during a 3-1 win against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday. He is day to day.
"We've got to grow as a team, right? We've got a young team," Olivier said. "Obviously, this season we've had some really bad bounces with injuries, guys in and out of the lineup. We're all just trying to take advantage of the opportunity here for us. We've got a ton of stuff to prove, so every game is important to us at this point."
Liam Foudy gave Columbus a 1-0 lead at 17:41 of the first period. After Wedgewood poke-checked a cutting Jack Roslovic, Foudy knocked the loose puck in on a backhand. Selected in the first round (No. 18) of the 2018 NHL Draft, it was Foudy's first regular-season goal in 63 NHL games. He scored his first career goal during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"I felt like I was playing some pretty good games lately and our line (with Roslovic and Emil Bemstrom) was playing well," Foudy said. "And the team, we're having some close games lately and winning some. Obviously, getting that goal is big for my self-confidence."
Columbus entered the game 2-for-3 on coach's challenges this season.
"It was a good game," Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said. "Obviously we got the offside call and then the goalie interference call, which helped. What I liked really was, when they came in the last 10 minutes of the second period, how we played. We got the momentum back on our side, which I thought was real important going into the third."
Ty Dellandrea tied it 1-1 at 6:29 when he intercepted a bank pass by Kent Johnson in the Blue Jackets' zone that was intended for Cole Sillinger before scoring from the right face-off circle. Adam Boqvist gave Columbus a 2-1 lead at 5:49 of the third period when his slap shot from the top of the right circle deflected off the stick of Mason Marchment.
Olivier extended it to 3-1 at 15:32, knocking in a loose puck in the crease after a shot by Robinson from the right circle off a rush squeaked past Wedgewood. Robinson was awarded a goal at 18:40 after he was hooked on a breakaway by Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen with Wedgewood pulled for an extra attacker for the 4-1 final.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have won four of their last 10 games.
The Arizona Coyotes lost against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, February 18 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California with a score of 6-5 in a shootout. The Arizona Coyotes currently rank 7th in the Central Division.
Clayton Keller scored twice for the Coyotes (19-28-9), who extended their point streak to eight games (4-0-4). Connor Ingram made 23 saves after Karel Vejmelka allowed five goals on 14 shots before being pulled 15:48 into the first.
"Bad first, learned from it. Good response for the next 40 (minutes), and I think we carry some momentum over to tomorrow [against the Columbus Blue Jackets]," Arizona forward Christian Fischer said.
The Kings built a 5-1 lead in the first period, outshooting the Coyotes 15-6. Josh Brown tied it 1-1 at 9:06. Conversely, Arizona was pleased by its response after falling behind.
"I think that was a big wake-up call for our team," Fischer said. "If we're not on top of the puck, aggressive, playing the way we have to, we'll get embarrassed just like we did."
Keller cut it to 5-2 during a 5-on-3 power play at 15:40 of the second period, and he made it 5-3 37 seconds into the third. Travis Boyd pulled the Coyotes within 5-4 at 7:06, two seconds after a power play expired, and Fischer put in the rebound of a Brown shot to tie it 5-5 at 7:50.
"That's who we are," Arizona coach Andre Tourigny said of the comeback. "At the end of the day, that's a good thing because we take a lot of pride in being that competitive and working that hard. … The boys really dug in and found a way."
The Arizona Coyotes have won five of their last 10 games.
Prediction
Not sure how much energy the Coyotes ran out of while trying to make that comeback against the Kings, but more than what CBJ could bring. Coyotes 6, Blue Jackets 3
The Columbus Blue Jackets won against the Dallas Stars on Saturday, February 18 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas with a score of 4-1. The Columbus Blue Jackets currently rank 8th in the Metropolitan Division.
Mathieu Olivier had a goal and two assists, Eric Robinson had a goal and an assist, Sean Kuraly had two assists, and Joonas Korpisalo made 28 saves for the Blue Jackets (18-34-4), who have won three of their past four following a four-game losing streak.
Forward Johnny Gaudreau, who had played 349 consecutive games, was unavailable because of a lower-body injury sustained during a 3-1 win against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday. He is day to day.
"We've got to grow as a team, right? We've got a young team," Olivier said. "Obviously, this season we've had some really bad bounces with injuries, guys in and out of the lineup. We're all just trying to take advantage of the opportunity here for us. We've got a ton of stuff to prove, so every game is important to us at this point."
Liam Foudy gave Columbus a 1-0 lead at 17:41 of the first period. After Wedgewood poke-checked a cutting Jack Roslovic, Foudy knocked the loose puck in on a backhand. Selected in the first round (No. 18) of the 2018 NHL Draft, it was Foudy's first regular-season goal in 63 NHL games. He scored his first career goal during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"I felt like I was playing some pretty good games lately and our line (with Roslovic and Emil Bemstrom) was playing well," Foudy said. "And the team, we're having some close games lately and winning some. Obviously, getting that goal is big for my self-confidence."
Columbus entered the game 2-for-3 on coach's challenges this season.
"It was a good game," Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said. "Obviously we got the offside call and then the goalie interference call, which helped. What I liked really was, when they came in the last 10 minutes of the second period, how we played. We got the momentum back on our side, which I thought was real important going into the third."
Ty Dellandrea tied it 1-1 at 6:29 when he intercepted a bank pass by Kent Johnson in the Blue Jackets' zone that was intended for Cole Sillinger before scoring from the right face-off circle. Adam Boqvist gave Columbus a 2-1 lead at 5:49 of the third period when his slap shot from the top of the right circle deflected off the stick of Mason Marchment.
Olivier extended it to 3-1 at 15:32, knocking in a loose puck in the crease after a shot by Robinson from the right circle off a rush squeaked past Wedgewood. Robinson was awarded a goal at 18:40 after he was hooked on a breakaway by Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen with Wedgewood pulled for an extra attacker for the 4-1 final.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have won four of their last 10 games.
The Arizona Coyotes lost against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, February 18 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California with a score of 6-5 in a shootout. The Arizona Coyotes currently rank 7th in the Central Division.
Clayton Keller scored twice for the Coyotes (19-28-9), who extended their point streak to eight games (4-0-4). Connor Ingram made 23 saves after Karel Vejmelka allowed five goals on 14 shots before being pulled 15:48 into the first.
"Bad first, learned from it. Good response for the next 40 (minutes), and I think we carry some momentum over to tomorrow [against the Columbus Blue Jackets]," Arizona forward Christian Fischer said.
The Kings built a 5-1 lead in the first period, outshooting the Coyotes 15-6. Josh Brown tied it 1-1 at 9:06. Conversely, Arizona was pleased by its response after falling behind.
"I think that was a big wake-up call for our team," Fischer said. "If we're not on top of the puck, aggressive, playing the way we have to, we'll get embarrassed just like we did."
Keller cut it to 5-2 during a 5-on-3 power play at 15:40 of the second period, and he made it 5-3 37 seconds into the third. Travis Boyd pulled the Coyotes within 5-4 at 7:06, two seconds after a power play expired, and Fischer put in the rebound of a Brown shot to tie it 5-5 at 7:50.
"That's who we are," Arizona coach Andre Tourigny said of the comeback. "At the end of the day, that's a good thing because we take a lot of pride in being that competitive and working that hard. … The boys really dug in and found a way."
The Arizona Coyotes have won five of their last 10 games.
Prediction
Not sure how much energy the Coyotes ran out of while trying to make that comeback against the Kings, but more than what CBJ could bring. Coyotes 6, Blue Jackets 3
Betting trends
Blue Jackets have won six straight in Arizona.
Road team is 7-1 in the last eight meetings.
Coyotes are 4-1 in the last five home games.
Projected lines
Blue Jackets:
Kent Johnson -- Boone Jenner -- Kirill Marchenko
Liam Foudy -- Cole Sillinger -- Patrik Laine
Eric Robinson -- Sean Kuraly -- Mathieu Olivier
Lane Pederson -- Jack Roslovic -- Emil Bemstrom
Tim Berni -- Erik Gudbranson
Nick Blankenburg -- Andrew Peeke
Gavin Bayreuther -- Adam Boqvist
Elvis Merzlikins
Kent Johnson -- Boone Jenner -- Kirill Marchenko
Liam Foudy -- Cole Sillinger -- Patrik Laine
Eric Robinson -- Sean Kuraly -- Mathieu Olivier
Lane Pederson -- Jack Roslovic -- Emil Bemstrom
Tim Berni -- Erik Gudbranson
Nick Blankenburg -- Andrew Peeke
Gavin Bayreuther -- Adam Boqvist
Elvis Merzlikins
Coyotes:
Clayton Keller -- Barrett Hayton -- Nick Schmaltz
Matias Maccelli -- Nick Bjugstad -- Lawson Crouse
Nick Ritchie -- Travis Boyd -- Christian Fischer
Liam O'Brien -- Jack McBain -- Zack Kassian
Juuso Valimaki -- Troy Stecher
Victor Soderstrom -- Josh Brown
Patrik Nemeth -- J.J. Moser
Connor Ingram
Clayton Keller -- Barrett Hayton -- Nick Schmaltz
Matias Maccelli -- Nick Bjugstad -- Lawson Crouse
Nick Ritchie -- Travis Boyd -- Christian Fischer
Liam O'Brien -- Jack McBain -- Zack Kassian
Juuso Valimaki -- Troy Stecher
Victor Soderstrom -- Josh Brown
Patrik Nemeth -- J.J. Moser
Connor Ingram
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
