Tampa Bay Lightning vs Columbus Blue Jackets Prediction & Picks - NHL
USA - NHL
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by Erik Gibbs | in NHL Picks
The Tampa Bay Lightning take on the Columbus Blue Jackets tomorrow night at Amalie Arena, looking to snap out of a rare and concerning slump. Tampa Bay enters this matchup having lost four consecutive games as of March 7, a skid that has seen them drop six points behind Carolina for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Despite this recent slide, the Lightning remain a formidable force, holding the #4 spot in the NHL Power Rankings. Their underlying metrics suggest that while the wins haven't been there lately, the process remains solid. They have struggled with finishing their chances during this stretch, but the sheer volume of high-danger opportunities they create suggests a breakout is imminent. The veteran leadership in the locker room is surely feeling the pressure to stabilize the ship before the playoffs begin, making this game against a lower-ranked Columbus team a must-win for morale.
Columbus arrives in Tampa sitting near the bottom of the league's hierarchy, ranked #16 in recent power rankings. The Blue Jackets have struggled with consistency all year, often looking like a team in transition that lacks the defensive structure to compete with the league's elite over a full 60 minutes. Their recent road trip has been particularly difficult, as they have struggled to contain high-powered offenses and have found themselves playing from behind early in games. While they have shown flashes of brilliance from their younger prospects, the Blue Jackets haven't been able to string together enough positive results to climb out of the basement of the Metropolitan Division. Facing a desperate Lightning team in their own building is a daunting task for a Columbus squad that is still searching for a clear identity.
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Tampa Bay Lightning vs Columbus Blue Jackets Form
Table
| Teams | Pts | P | W | L | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5
|
106 | 2632 | 40 | 26 | +59 |
|
16
|
92 | 3142 | 28 | 30 | 0 |
Tampa Bay Lightning and Columbus Blue Jackets Latest Matches
1/6 (17%)
5/6 (83%)
Mar 8, 2026 - NHL
Mar 7, 2026 - NHL
Mar 5, 2026 - NHL
Mar 3, 2026 - NHL
Feb 28, 2026 - NHL
Feb 26, 2026 - NHL
5/6 (83%)
1/6 (17%)
Feb 28, 2026 - NHL
Feb 25, 2026 - NHL
Feb 5, 2026 - NHL
Feb 3, 2026 - NHL
Feb 1, 2026 - NHL
Jan 29, 2026 - NHL
1/6 (17%)
5/6 (83%)
Mar 8, 2026 - NHL
Mar 7, 2026 - NHL
Mar 5, 2026 - NHL
Mar 3, 2026 - NHL
Feb 26, 2026 - NHL
Jan 24, 2026 - NHL
3/6 (50%)
3/6 (50%)
Mar 9, 2026 - NHL
Mar 7, 2026 - NHL
Mar 5, 2026 - NHL
Mar 3, 2026 - NHL
Mar 2, 2026 - NHL
Feb 28, 2026 - NHL
3/6 (50%)
3/6 (50%)
Mar 9, 2026 - NHL
Mar 7, 2026 - NHL
Mar 5, 2026 - NHL
Mar 3, 2026 - NHL
Feb 28, 2026 - NHL
Feb 4, 2026 - NHL
5/6 (83%)
1/6 (17%)
Mar 2, 2026 - NHL
Feb 26, 2026 - NHL
Feb 3, 2026 - NHL
Jan 31, 2026 - NHL
Jan 30, 2026 - NHL
Jan 17, 2026 - NHL
Tampa Bay Lightning against Columbus Blue Jackets : Head to Head (H2H)
67 %
33 %
Jan 24, 2026 - NHL
Oct 18, 2025 - NHL
Mar 4, 2025 - NHL
Apr 9, 2024 - NHL
Jan 10, 2023 - NHL
Apr 26, 2022 - NHL
Players list
A. Vasilevskiy
J. Johansson
J. Moser
C. D'Astous
S. Santini
R. McDonagh
V. Hedman
D. Carlile
C. Perry
P. Holmberg
B. Hagel
C. Geekie
G. Goncalves
J. Guentzel
Z. Girgensons
N. Kucherov
A. Cirelli
B. Point
O. Bjorkstrand
Y. Gourde
J. Greaves
E. Merzlikins
J. Christiansen
D. Fabbro
D. Mateychuk
I. Provorov
Z. Werenski
D. Severson
M. Marchment
M. Olivier
I. Lundestrom
D. Heinen
K. Marchenko
A. Fantilli
C. Sillinger
K. Johnson
S. Monahan
C. Coyle
B. Jenner
C. Garland
Most goals and assists
Tampa Bay Lightning
Columbus Blue Jackets
Z. Werenski
(59 Assists)
Tampa Bay Lightning - Columbus Blue Jackets Key Points
- The Over is 3-2 in the Blue Jackets last 5 games
- The Over is 3-1-1 in the Lightning's last 5 games
- The Blue Jackets are 2-3 ATS in their last 5 games
- The Lightning are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games
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Our Tampa Bay Lightning vs Columbus Blue Jackets Prediction
Injury concerns are a major storyline for Tampa Bay as they head into this contest. The Lightning will be missing defenseman Max Crozier (abdomen) and forward Nick Paul (undisclosed), both of whom are currently on injured reserve. Additionally, Dominic James is out long-term after undergoing leg surgery, and Gage Goncalves is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury. On the ice, Brandon Hagel has been the standout performer over the past two weeks, maintaining a high level of play with an average of 0.50 expected goals per game despite the team's losses.
Columbus also faces health issues, with veteran defenseman Brendan Smith out 3-4 months with a knee injury and star blueliner Zach Werenski listed as questionable due to illness. Tampa Bay has a clear upper hand; they are the vastly superior team on paper and are highly motivated to end their losing streak against a Columbus side missing key defensive pieces. Our prediction for Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Columbus Blue Jackets: Over 5.5 goals.
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