Florida Panthers vs Columbus Blue Jackets Picks and Prediction for Tuesday October 13, 2026
The Florida Panthers will travel to Columbus, Ohio, Tuesday night for an Eastern Conference matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. The puck is scheduled to drop at 6:15 PM, with coverage available on ESPN+. The Panthers will be playing their second game in as many days after visiting Buffalo on Monday afternoon, currently 2-2-2 on the year, riding a 2 game skid after the loss to Buffalo on Monday. The Blue Jackets will attempt to use their home ice advantage to generate offensive opportunities and put pressure on the Panthers throughout the game, as Columbus is 2-2-0 this year, having dropped 2 of the last 3. Columbus is listed as a slight favorite at -125, while Florida comes in at +105. The total is set at 6.5 goals. Stay in the action with our free NHL Picks.
Florida looks to end their losing streak
The Florida Panthers offense has been well below average this season, scoring just 2 goals on 27.4 shots per game. Defensively, Florida has been mediocre, allowing 2.83 goals on 23.2 shots per game this season, and they've given up nine goals across their last two losses. Matthew Tkachuk leads the Florida offense this season with five points and three goals. Lars Eller, Sam Bennett, and Seth Jones are all tied for second on the roster with three points, and Eller leads the team with three assists.
Akira Schmid struggled in net Monday for Florida, giving up three goals on 21 shots to post an .857 save percentage in just over 38 minutes on the ice. Jacob Markstrom was equally as bad, giving up two goals on 11 shots in 20 minutes. Sam Reinhart led the scoring for the Florida offense on Monday with two goals in just under 20.5 minutes. Anton Lundell chipped in as well with one goal on three shots in nearly 15 minutes of ice time.
Key Injury Report for Florida:
- Brad Marchand (IR) - Nov 21
- Alexsander Barkov (IR-LT) - Nov 27
- Jonah Gadjovich (IR-LT) - Oct 17
Columbus tries for the home win
The Columbus Blue Jackets come into Tuesday averaging three goals on 27.5 shots per game. Defensively, Columbus is struggling, allowing 3.5 goals on 26.5 shots, and they've given up nine goals across their last two losses. Cole Sillinger is leading the Columbus offense this season with four points and two goals scored. Matthew Knies, Zach Werenski, and Charlie Coyle are also tied for the top spot on the team with 4 points each, while Werenski leads the team this season with four assists.
Jet Greaves was terrible in the net Saturday for Columbus, giving up four goals on 26 shots to post a .846 save percentage in nearly 59 minutes before Saint Louis scored on the empty net. Kent Johnson, Valeri Nichushkin, and Cole Sillinger led the way for the Columbus offense on Monday, scoring one goal each.
Key Injury Report for Columbus:
- None
Florida Panthers vs Columbus Blue Jackets Picks and Prediction
Pick: Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus comes in Tuesday night in a good spot, playing against a Florida team playing its second game in two days. The Blue Jackets should be able to take advantage of the scheduling situation and put consistent pressure on the Panthers throughout the game. Florida has enough talent to make things difficult, but the Panthers could struggle to maintain their defensive intensity after playing Monday afternoon. Columbus will need to establish its offense early and avoid allowing Florida to control the pace of the game. The Blue Jackets have the benefit of playing in front of their home crowd and should be able to create enough scoring opportunities to make the difference. Take Columbus to get the home victory.
Pick: Under 6.5
Florida and Columbus could find themselves in a competitive matchup Tuesday night as both teams look to establish themselves early in the season. The Panthers will be playing on consecutive days and could take a more conservative approach to avoid giving Columbus too many scoring opportunities. The Blue Jackets should be able to generate offense at home, but Florida has enough defensive talent to prevent this game from becoming a high-scoring affair. Both teams will need to remain disciplined and avoid costly mistakes that could lead to easy goals. Columbus should be able to control stretches of the game without needing a huge offensive performance. Expect a competitive contest with limited scoring opportunities as the game stays under the posted total, as both teams are desperate for a win.