BEST LINES:  Pinnacle -½ +176 BET 365 -½ +160 SportsInteraction -½ +160 5DIMES -½ +160

Posted at 11:00 AM EST.

7:05 PM EST. A flu bug has ripped through the Blue Jackets locker room, but they practiced our next man up theory to perfection with a 7-3 win over the Panthers with a makeshift lineup on Thursday night. That victory has now given Columbus points in six straight games. With players coming in and out of the medical tent, the Jackets lineup will not be confirmed until much closer to game time but the uncertainty surrounding Artemi Panarin, Riley Nash and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky only allows us to take back a better price than we should be. None of those three played the other night in Florida and it did not matter. Whether it’s Joonas Korpisalo or Sergei Bobrovsky in goal for the Jackets matters not because either one is vastly superior to the stiff that the Hurricanes are forced to use in goal.

Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour is very aware that Scott Darling is terrible and he didn't sugarcoat it after another recent loss by the Hurricanes against Detroit, "We need saves at times when we break down. Keep the team in the game when we need it."

We can’t overstate it enough how these weak goals deflate the team, especially when they constantly occur. Again, goaltending is the #1 deciding factor and that almost makes the ‘Canes instant fade material when spotting a tag. The 'Canes have won two of three games, but those Ws came against the Blackhawks, who just might have it worse between the pipes than Carolina does when Cam Ward, a Carolina castoff, is in goal. Carolina is a good team, no doubt but its weak netminding makes them a below average team and that is once again our target here. Finally, the ‘Canes have been off since Monday and these extended days off make them even less appealing.

Therefore:

OT included - Columbus +114 for 1 unit.

Regulation only - Columbus -½ +176 for 1 unit. 

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