Home»NHL»Florida Panthers vs Columbus Blue Jackets Pick & Prediction - March 05, 2026

Florida Panthers vs Columbus Blue Jackets Pick & Prediction – March 05, 2026

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Senior Content Editor, Updated March 5, 2026
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Florida visits Columbus at 7:10 PM ET with the Blue Jackets priced as a small home favorite (CBJ -118, FLA -102) and a 6.5 total shaded to the under.

Columbus comes in with the better recent form (8-1-1 last 10) while Florida has struggled badly (2-8-0 last 10) and is still trying to stabilize without key pieces in the lineup.

Odds as of 7:48 AM ET on March 5, 2026.

Odds & Game Info

Game location is Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

MarketColumbus Blue JacketsFlorida Panthers
Spread (Puck Line)-1.5 (+210)+1.5 (-265)
Moneyline-118-102
Total (6.5)Over 6.5 (+100)Under 6.5 (-122)

Projected goalies (not confirmed)

  • Florida: Sergei Bobrovsky started March 3 at New Jersey, so monitor whether he goes again here.
  • Columbus: Jet Greaves started March 3 vs. Nashville, and Elvis Merzlikins has also been in the mix recently.

Rest & travel

  • Panthers: last played March 3 at New Jersey, then travel to Columbus.
  • Blue Jackets: last played March 3 at home, stay in Columbus with an extra day at home.

Recent Form

Florida Panthers

Florida is 2-8-0 over its last 10, allowing 3.6 goals per game in that span while taking a high volume of penalties (16.2 penalty minutes per game over the last 10). The road form has been a problem lately, including multiple multi-goal losses on this trip.

At 5v5 (season), Florida’s profile is a bit split: strong expected share (5v5 xGF% 52.84) but poor results defense/goaltending indicators (5v5 GA/60 2.77, 5v5 Sv% 89.04), which lines up with the recent slide.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Columbus has been one of the hottest teams in the conference: 8-1-1 last 10 while scoring 4.2 goals per game and allowing 2.6. At home, they’ve played their best hockey recently, and they have the schedule advantage here (no travel, last game also at home).

The 5v5 numbers suggest a fairly balanced team rather than a fluke run: 5v5 GF/60 2.65 and 5v5 GA/60 2.51, with a near-even 5v5 xGF% (49.40). In other words, the current streak is being supported by better finishing and/or goaltending, not just shot volume.

Matchup Keys

  • Discipline and special teams volume: Florida’s last-10 penalty minutes are elevated, and Columbus has shown it can convert games into special-teams swings when opponents get undisciplined.
  • 5v5 quality vs. 5v5 results: Florida’s 5v5 xGF% edge (52.84) hasn’t translated into stopping goals (5v5 GA/60 2.77). Columbus is allowing fewer 5v5 goals (GA/60 2.51).
  • Shot profile: Columbus is essentially even in shots for/against on the season (about 29.9 SF/GP, 30.0 SA/GP), while Florida has allowed fewer shots against (about 25.8 SA/GP) but with weaker save results, a bad combination when opponents finish well.
  • Home-ice and rest: Columbus stays home and has been playing its best hockey there, while Florida is trying to stop a road skid.
  • Blue Jackets are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games.
  • Panthers are 2-8 straight up in their last 10 games.
  • Blue Jackets are 16-8-5 at home this season.
  • Panthers are 14-14-0 on the road this season.
  • Florida has gone OVER the total in 9 of its last 12 games.
  • Florida has gone OVER the total in 6 straight road games.
  • Columbus has gone UNDER the total in 4 of its last 6 games.
  • Florida is 9-0 straight up in its last 9 games vs. Columbus.
  • Florida is 20-41 against the puck line this season.
  • Columbus is 32-24 against the puck line this season.

Best Bet

Columbus Blue Jackets moneyline (-118).

Florida’s last-10 profile (2-8-0, 3.6 goals allowed per game) is the main driver here, and it’s hard to back them on the road in this spot without a clear goaltending edge. Columbus is not only winning, it’s winning with a strong goal differential in recent games (4.2 scored, 2.6 allowed over the last 10), and they get the schedule setup at home. The head-to-head streak favors Florida, but the current form and the home-rest edge point to Columbus being the more trustworthy side at essentially a pick’em price.

Predicted Score

Columbus 4, Florida 3

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