Anaheim Ducks vs Columbus Blue Jackets 4/17/22 NHL Picks, Predictions, Odds

The Columbus Blue Jackets and Anaheim Ducks meet Sunday in NHL action at the Honda Center. The Columbus Blue Jackets look for a win after splitting their last six games. The Anaheim Ducks need a win after losing five of their last six games.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are averaging 3.2 goals per game and are scoring on 17.4 percent of their power play opportunities. Patrik Laine leads Columbus with 26 goals, Jakub Voracek has 49 assists and Zach Werenski has 214 shots on goal. Defensively, the Columbus Blue Jackets are allowing 3.7 goals per game and are killing 78.6 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Elvis Merzlikins has allowed 162 goals on 1,692 shots faced, and Joonas Korpisalo has allowed 78 goals on 634 shots.

The Anaheim Ducks are averaging 2.8 goals per game and are scoring on 21.8 percent of their power play opportunities. Troy Terry leads Anaheim with 34 goals, Trevor Zegras has 35 assists and Kevin Shattenkirk has 157 shots on goal. Defensively, the Anaheim Ducks are allowing 3.2 goals per game and are killing 80.7 percent of their opponent’s power plays. John Gibson has given up 160 goals on 1,684 shots faced, and Anthony Stolarz has allowed 60 goals on 727 shots.

The Blue Jackets are 2-6 in their last 8 road games and 5-2 in their last 7 Sunday games. The Ducks are 20-42 in their last 62 home games and 16-36 in their last 52 overall. The under is 5-1 in Blue Jackets last 6 overall. The over is 4-1-1 in Ducks last 6 overall. The Blue Jackets are 1-5 in the last 6 meetings.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are the better team, but they’re on the road where they’ve struggled lately, and they almost never win on the end of back to backs. The Anaheim Ducks aren’t a team you want to make a habit of backing in the favorite role, but they’re at home here with the rest advantage. Also, the Ducks have had great success in the favorite role, so they do win the games they’re supposed to win. Give me the Ducks and the reasonable price.