Tampa Bay Lightning vs Columbus Blue Jackets Picks and Parlays for Saturday January 24 2026
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The Tampa Bay Lightning travel to Nationwide Arena to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, January 24, 2026, with puck drop scheduled for 7:00 PM. This matchup will be televised on ESPN+, FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, and The Spot - MTN. Tampa Bay enters as -125 road favorites on the moneyline, while Columbus is listed at +105. The total is set at 6.5 goals, with the Over priced at -105 and the Under at -115. Be sure to check out our free NHL picks for more daily hockey betting coverage.
Lightning Thriving Away From Home
Tampa Bay comes into this contest with a 31-13-4 overall record and an outstanding 18-4-4 mark on the road. The Lightning recently won over San Jose, Dallas, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia, with their only setback coming in a shootout loss to St. Louis.
From a statistical standpoint, Tampa Bay is averaging 3.50 goals per game while allowing just 2.48 goals against. They generate 27.3 shots per contest and limit opponents to 26.1 shots per game.
One of Tampa Bay’s biggest strengths is defensive discipline. Their penalty kill is operating at an elite 84.2%, and they have not allowed a single shorthanded goal this season, giving them a major edge in close games.
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Blue Jackets Trying to Defend Home Ice
Columbus enters this matchup with a 23-20-7 overall record and a 12-8-4 mark at home. The Blue Jackets recently earned wins over Dallas, Pittsburgh, Vancouver, and Calgary, while suffering a loss to Ottawa.
Columbus is averaging 2.90 goals per game but allowing 3.26 goals against. They generate 30.2 shots per contest, yet also give up 30.7 shots defensively, which has led to uneven results.
Special teams remain an issue for Columbus. Their penalty kill sits at 75.7%, and that weakness could be tested heavily against a disciplined Tampa Bay team.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Columbus Blue Jackets Pick
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Columbus Blue Jackets Moneyline Pick
- Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning -125
Tampa Bay’s road dominance and defensive structure make them the more reliable side in this matchup. Columbus allows too many quality chances, and Tampa’s efficiency should be the difference.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Columbus Blue Jackets Total Pick
- Pick: Under 6.5
I’m backing the Under here because Tampa Bay controls tempo extremely well when playing from ahead, and their defensive metrics suggest they can limit Columbus’s scoring opportunities.
Final Score Prediction: Lightning 4, Blue Jackets 2
This prediction was written before the completion of game play on Friday.
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