Columbus Blue Jackets vs New York Rangers Prediction: No Tournament Motivation

Prediction for the NHL Columbus Blue Jackets vs New York Rangers match which will take place on April 9th. Who will turn out to be stronger? Check the team conditions! Several betting options are available.

Last year, the Jackets lacked skilled players, although they showed good and spectacular hockey. From the beginning of the regular season, Brad Larsen's wards began to show poor results, and at the end of the season, they stopped playing altogether, allowing six defeats in the last seven meetings. Columbus closes the Eastern Conference standings.

The Rangers had an excellent regular season, but such an ambitious and masterful team planned to achieve higher in the Eastern Conference standings. The current third place does not guarantee the Jackets the home advantages in the playoffs, while recently, they have not impressed with their game, which makes them worry on the eve of cup battles. Gerard Gallan's wards had three defeats in the last five meetings, winning only Washington and Tampa Bay - 5:2 and 6:3. Fortunately, there are plenty of experienced players in the New York team, and in the playoffs, this aspect is the main one.

Columbus and the Rangers came to the finish of the regular season, having lost almost all tournament motivation. The Jackets have guaranteed the last place in the Eastern Conference. Nevertheless, in terms of the overall skill level, Gerard Gallan's team is much stronger than the competitor, and the last two games proved this – 3:1 and 6:2. 

Columbus has stopped earning points and began to play catastrophically weakly in defense. In the previous 15 meetings, the Jackets missed 81 goals (5.40 on average per game) – such an awful result that the nearest worst team in the Eastern Conference missed 18 fewer goals. The Blue Jackets should take advantage of this by regaining self-confidence before the playoffs start.