Blue Jackets vs. Penguins NHL Predictions, Picks and Odds - Jan. 4

The Columbus Blue Jackets (18-16-6) host the Pittsburgh Penguins (19-12-9) on Sunday, Jan. 4, with both teams coming off a victory in their last game. The Penguins are underdogs on the road, at +105, and the Blue Jackets are -125.

Columbus secured a 5-1 victory at home its last time out on Jan. 3 against the Buffalo Sabres. The Blue Jackets got two points apiece out of three skaters, including Zachary Werenski (two assists) and Damon Severson (two assists).

In its last game on Jan. 3, Pittsburgh secured a 4-1 road victory against the Detroit Red Wings. The Penguins were led in that matchup by Parker Wotherspoon (two assists) and Sidney Crosby (two assists).

Here's our pick for who will secure the win in Sunday's matchup.

Blue Jackets vs. Penguins Predictions & Pick

For the upcoming game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Pittsburgh Penguins, computer-derived moneyline, over/under, and score predictions are below, per Dunkel Index.

• Prediction: Blue Jackets 3 - Penguins 2
• Pick OU: Under 6.5 (Dunkel projecting 5.07 goals)
  

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Blue Jackets vs. Penguins Moneylines

Take a peek below at the most up-to-date moneylines for the Blue Jackets-Penguins matchup.

• Favorite: Blue Jackets (-125)
• Underdog: Penguins (+105)

Blue Jackets Betting Insights

• In the 11 times this season the Blue Jackets have been favored on the moneyline, they have finished 9-2 in those games.
• When it has played with moneyline odds of -125 or shorter, Columbus has put together a 5-1 record (winning 83.3% of its games).
• The Blue Jackets' implied moneyline win probability is 55.6% in this matchup.
• Columbus' games this season have gone over this matchup's total of 6.5 goals 18 times.

Penguins Betting Insights

• This season the Penguins have won 13 of the 26 games, or 50.0%, in which they've been an underdog.
• Pittsburgh has entered 23 games this season as the underdog by +105 or more and is 10-13 in those contests.
• The implied probability of a win by the Penguins, based on the moneyline, is 48.8%.
• Pittsburgh has played 20 games this season with more than 6.5 goals.

Blue Jackets Key Stats

• Columbus' 119 total goals (3.0 per game) rank 20th in the league.
• The Blue Jackets rank 22nd in goals against, allowing 131 total goals (3.3 per game) in league play.
• Its -12 goal differential ranks 27th in the league.
• The 19 power-play goals the Blue Jackets have recorded this season (to rank 27th in the NHL) have come on 103 power-play chances.
• Columbus has the league's 20th-ranked power-play conversion rate (18.45%).
• The Blue Jackets have capitalized with three shorthanded goals this season (12th among NHL squads).
• Columbus kills 76.11% of opponent power plays, the 28th-ranked penalty-kill percentage in the league.
• Columbus wins 50.8% of its faceoffs (13th in NHL).
• The Blue Jackets connect on 9.9% of their shots (28th in the league).

Penguins Key Stats

• With 129 goals (3.2 per game), Pittsburgh has the league's 13th-ranked offense.
• The Penguins give up 3.0 goals per game (122 in total), 14th in the NHL.
• With a goal differential of +7, the team is seventh-best in the league in that category.
• The Penguins have 32 power-play goals (fifth-most in NHL) on 108 chances.
• Pittsburgh has the league's third-best power-play percentage (29.63%).
• In terms of shorthanded goal, the Penguins have one.
• At 81.51%, Pittsburgh has the 11th-ranked penalty-kill percentage in the league.
• Pittsburgh wins 50.3% of faceoffs, 15th-ranked in the NHL.
• The 11.3% shooting percentage of the Penguins is 11th in the league.