The Penguins vs. Blue Jackets prediction for Friday night in Columbus begins where every hockey handicap should begin, in the crease. Pittsburgh arrives at 2-2-0 after a 5-3 loss in Washington. Columbus has not played since October 3. Both clubs project a goaltender who has struggled through the opening week. The market has settled on a short home price and a total of 6.5. Below is the full breakdown, the market read, and our picks.
Last Updated: October 9, 2026
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Columbus Blue Jackets — Game Info
| Where | Nationwide Arena, Columbus Ohio |
| When | October 9 – 7:00 PM ET |
| TV | Blue Jackets Hockey Network, SportsNet Pittsburgh |
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Betting Preview
Start with the goaltenders, because nothing else in hockey moves a number as far. Arturs Silovs is projected for Pittsburgh. He has started all three of his appearances and sits at a .859 save percentage with a 3.38 goals-against average. Jet Greaves is projected for Columbus. He has started both Blue Jackets games and carries a .877 save percentage and a 3.50 goals-against average. Neither start is confirmed yet. Columbus is also without Elvis Merzlikins, who underwent shoulder surgery in August with no return timeline.
Pittsburgh sits fifth in the Metropolitan Division with four points from four games. The Penguins have scored 18 goals and allowed 13. They lead this matchup in volume by a wide margin, averaging 32.25 shots per game, third in the league. However, they have dropped two straight, including Wednesday’s loss in Washington. Columbus is sixth in the division at 1-1-0. The Blue Jackets own the league’s lowest shot rate at 21.0 per game, yet they have still scored 3.50 per night. That gap reads as a regression warning rather than a strength. Tommy Novak leads Pittsburgh with five points in four games. Matthew Knies leads Columbus with four points in two.
Special teams tilt toward the visitors. Pittsburgh is converting 30.8 percent on the power play and killing at 90.0 percent. Columbus is killing at only 66.7 percent and has been shorthanded nine times in two games. In contrast, the Blue Jackets own the faceoff dot at 55.9 percent against a Pittsburgh group winning 44.7 percent. Bryan Rust returned from injured reserve on October 7 and scored in his season debut. NHL.com also reports that Andrei Kuzmenko will not play on this road trip. Both clubs play again Saturday, so each is on the front half of a back-to-back.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Odds
| Puck Line | Moneyline | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penguins | +1.5 (-260) | +102 | O 6.5 (-105) |
| Blue Jackets | -1.5 (+215) | -122 | U 6.5 (-115) |
Odds accurate as of October 9, 2026 via TheSpread.com. Odds change, get the latest NHL Odds – Futures – Props
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Columbus Blue Jackets — Who Is the Public Betting?
| Penguins | 80% | 20% | Blue Jackets |
See the latest NHL Public Betting Splits and make smarter wagers!
Penguins vs. Blue Jackets Prediction — Columbus Has Killed Six of Nine Penalties So Far
The clearest signal in this game is the scoring environment, and special teams are where it starts. Pittsburgh has four power play goals on 13 chances. Columbus has surrendered three power play goals on nine kills. The Blue Jackets have also been undisciplined, taking 4.5 minors per game in their two home games. Hand a 30.8 percent unit that many looks and the math turns quickly. Columbus has its own answer, converting 40.0 percent on five chances, though five chances prove very little.
Behind the special teams sit two goaltenders in poor early form. Silovs has stopped 61 of 71 shots. Greaves has stopped 50 of 57. Both numbers fall well short of a league-average standard near .900. Pittsburgh’s volume compounds the problem for Columbus. The Penguins put 32.25 shots on net per night, so Greaves will be busy. Across the six games these clubs have played, four produced seven or more combined goals.
The case the other way is real. Columbus generates only 21.0 shots per game, which caps the volume side of any high-scoring read. Both teams play again Saturday, and that can mean a cautious third period. Silovs has already posted a shutout this season, so he is capable of a clean night. Six days without a game can also produce a slow, low-event start. Still, the structure of hockey helps the high side late. A trailing team pulls its goaltender, and one-goal games routinely become two-goal games inside the final minute. Overtime and a shootout count toward this number as well. The market has nudged the juice from -103 at the open to -105 now.
The Pick: Over 6.5 (-105)
Penguins vs. Blue Jackets Prediction — The Number Moved Away From the 80 Percent Side
The market has done something here worth pausing on. Columbus opened at -115 on the moneyline and now sits at -122. Pittsburgh opened at -105 and has drifted out to +102. Meanwhile, 80 percent of spread tickets sit on the Pittsburgh side of the puck line. A number moving one way while tickets pile up the other way is the classic reverse line movement footprint. Taken at face value, that is a warning against backing the visitors.
It deserves a closer read, though. In hockey the +1.5 puck line is the recreational default, so a lopsided ticket count there carries less weight than it would on a football spread. The move itself is seven cents, which is drift rather than steam. Underneath it, Pittsburgh outshoots Columbus by roughly 11 attempts a night, kills at 90.0 percent, and has scored 4.50 goals per game. Columbus is scoring 3.50 on the thinnest shot volume in the league, and that rate does not hold. The risks are plain enough. Columbus has six days of rest, home ice, and a large faceoff edge, while Pittsburgh is playing its fourth game in eight nights. These clubs are also used to tight finishes. Columbus took the October 25 meeting last season 5-4 in a shootout.
The Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins Moneyline (+102)
Our Final Word on Penguins vs. Blue Jackets
Both plays above rest on the same unconfirmed input, namely that Silovs and Greaves actually start. Treat them as provisional until the morning skate settles it. One further angle stands apart, because it does not depend on either crease. Sidney Crosby has 12 shots on goal through four games, tied for the team lead, and he has yet to score. A player averaging exactly 3.0 shots a night is being asked to clear three, at a price implying roughly 42 percent. The caution is a four-game sample and the chance Columbus assigns its best defensive pair to him.
The Pick: Sidney Crosby 3+ Shots on Target (+136)
Over 6.5 (-105) is the strongest of the three, because two goaltenders under .880 are meeting a Pittsburgh power play converting 30.8 percent against a 66.7 percent Columbus kill. Pittsburgh Penguins Moneyline (+102) returns plus money on the team leading this matchup in shots, goals per game and penalty killing. Sidney Crosby 3+ Shots on Target (+136) asks a player averaging 3.0 shots a night to simply repeat it.
NHL Penguins vs. Blue Jackets FAQ: October 9, 2026
What time does the Penguins vs. Blue Jackets game start?
Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM ET on Friday, October 9, 2026. The game is the third stop on a Pittsburgh road trip, and both clubs return to action the following night, with the Penguins hosting Dallas and the Blue Jackets visiting St. Louis.
What channel is the Penguins vs. Blue Jackets game on?
Viewers in the Columbus market get the game on the Blue Jackets Hockey Network, while the Pittsburgh market carries it on SportsNet Pittsburgh. In Canada the game airs on SN+ and TVAS. The Blue Jackets Hockey Network is distributed through Prime Video, Spectrum, Fubo and select over-the-air stations.
Where are the Penguins and Blue Jackets playing?
The game is at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, the Blue Jackets’ home building. Columbus has played both of its games this season at home, beating Buffalo 6-3 on October 1 and losing 4-1 to Utah on October 3.
What are the Penguins and Blue Jackets records this season?
Pittsburgh is 2-2-0 with four points through four games, while Columbus is 1-1-0 with two points through two games. The Penguins have scored 18 goals and allowed 13. The Blue Jackets have scored seven and allowed seven, leaving them even on goal differential.
Where do the Penguins and Blue Jackets stand in the standings?
Pittsburgh is fifth in the Metropolitan Division and Columbus is sixth, separated by two points with the Blue Jackets holding two games in hand. The Rangers lead the division with eight points, followed by Carolina on seven, with Washington and the Islanders tied on four.