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Nationwide Area, Columbus, Ohio
7pm Start (Eastern Time -8 GMT)

It’s a big game in the NHL on Wednesday night, as the Columbus Blue Jackets take on the Detroit Red Wings in the Central Division match-up. For too long the mighty winged-wheel of the Detroit Red Wings have dominated things in the division, while the Ohio based Columbus has been flailing and fighting not to finish bottom. The Blue Jackets are one of the NHL’s newest franchise teams, starting professional life in the year 2000.

Columbus made their first ever Conference Play-Offs last season, being the last team of the 30 in the NHL to make a Play-Off appearance. They lost their best of seven, first round series to, guess who, yes, the Detroit Red Wings, being outplayed in all departments. Their best effort was in the fourth game at the Nationwide Arena, Columbus’s home, where the young club produced their first real display of Play-off hockey, which is widely regarded as being much quicker, much more intense, and much more physical than that of the regular season games. They still lost, but at least they showed up and contested, something they didn’t do in the first three games.

Now the two teams go head to head again, the first time since that Play-off series. The new season is fairly young, with teams only having played around 15 games or so, and this is the first of six meeting between the two Divisional rivals. The contest takes places at the Nationwide on Wednesday night, in a mouth-watering match-up, and the teams will be facing new lines set up by their opponents, after the off-season’s trades, signings, and prospect call-ups.

The Red Wings, which can only be compared to the Manchester United of NHL ice-hockey, have been there and won it all, and have been a familiar face in the Stanley Cup Finals. They are one of the mighty powerhouses, but this season has seen them not quite hitting the pinnacle one expects of such a mighty team. Much like Manchester United, one supposes. In fact, such has been the turnaround in things this season, it is the Blue Jackets, the perennial underdogs who are leading the Central Division by two points.

One of the most famous Blue Jackets games came at the Joe Louis Arena back in March of this year, when they trounced the Red Wings 8-2 on their own ice. Sadly that form did not carry through to the Play-Offs. After a sluggish start to the season, which included losing their opening two games to St Louis, the Wings have picked things up, and they are the kind of team which can just explode and go on a long unbeaten streak. Detroit however lost their last game 5-1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, while the Blue Jackets, with a 3-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes have won three of their last four.

The Columbus Blue Jackets’ coach Ken Hitchcock, marks the occasion with his 1,000th game as an NHL coach, but the Red Wings will be relishing this chance to take down the pretenders to their divisional crown. There is not a lot to chose between the two teams, and Columbus will have to be prepared for a physical game, something which they are not particularly well equipped for. Their two stars are left wing Rick Nash, who is one of the elite goal scoring superstars in the league, and goaltender Steve Mason, a young lad who won Rookie of the Year in his first season last year. The Red Wings have talent oozing out of all four offensive lines. Both teams have injury concerns though, the Red Wings more than Columbus, but this could be one of those classic action nights, packed with passion at the Nationwide Arena.

Detroit to win: 5/6 at Boylesports
Columbus to win: Evens at Boylesports

Betting Tip:
Columbus Point Spread Handicap Bet: -1.50 at Boylsports 12/5

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