In this particular rumble on ice, we've got a match-up which might seem simple but I assure you, it's more complex than a plate of spaghetti. The Florida Panthers are rudely busting into the Columbus Blue Jackets' home ice, the former strutting in with goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who's been laser-focused this season at 88.2%. Not too shabby for a chap who stops pucks for a living. On-ice deputies like Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett are pedalling hard, each with 3 goals to their names, but keep an eye out for Gustav Forsling, who's upped his assist game and has a plus-minus that suggests he's not just about the offence.
On the other hand, the Blue Jackets aren't exactly barebones here, folks. Daniil Tarasov and Elvis Merzlikins have a history of solid goaltending, with Tarasov sitting pretty at a save percentage of 92.7% last season. Player wise, we're seeing some decent performances from Yegor Chinakhov and Sean Monahan. But hey, let’s not leave out Zach Werenski, who’s proving his worth in the fray with no assists, but 2 goals this past month.
Head to head, these teams have danced four times recently… and well, let's just say the Panthers like to lead. Their regular-season records ain't exactly instructional pamphlets on 'how to win at hockey,' but hey, remember, this isn't interpretive dance. Last I checked, we don't do ties in hockey, so somebody's got to come out snarling here.
And on that note, folks, after looking at these stats, I say that if the Blue Jackets can think back to that time they scored 4 goals against the Panthers and try to recreate it, they might have a shot. But with the current hot-streak the Panthers are riding and with Bobrovsky practically walling off the goal, I reckon the tides favor the Panthers in this one. Let's call it a two-goal margin, shall we?
Albert’s Prediction: Florida Panthers by 2