The Columbus Blue Jackets face a daunting road test against the red-hot Colorado Avalanche, who boast the league’s best record and a franchise-record 16-game home winning streak. With the Avalanche dominating the Central Division and the Blue Jackets clinging to a .500 mark in the Metropolitan, this interconference matchup could highlight Colorado’s high-octane offense against Columbus’ resilient but inconsistent play. Expect a potential blowout if the Avalanche’s stars shine, though the Blue Jackets’ young core might keep it competitive early.
Venue Location
Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado.
Puckdrop I scheduled for 4:00 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. MT).
Recent Team Forms
The Blue Jackets have gone 4-5-1 in their last 10 games, with a -4 goal differential, showing flashes of competitiveness but defensive vulnerabilities.
They are coming off a 5-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on January 8, where they led early but collapsed, allowing 3.4 goals per game in recent outings while scoring 2.8.
On the road, Columbus is 8-10-4, with inconsistent shot suppression (31.0 shots against per game league-wide).
The Avalanche are dominant, posting an 8-1-1 record in their last 10 with a +22 goal differential, including a franchise-record 16 straight home wins.
They crushed the Ottawa Senators 8-2 on January 8, averaging 4.5 goals scored and 2.3 allowed in that span, fueled by elite puck possession (54.2% Corsi For).
At home, Colorado is 18-1-2, outscoring opponents by 2.1 goals per game on average.
Injury Report
Columbus Blue Jackets:
Isac Lundestrom (F): IR (Undisclosed; out until at least January 17).
Miles Wood (LW): IR (Undisclosed; out until at least January 17).
Erik Gudbranson (D): Out (Hip; indefinite).
These losses impact secondary scoring and physical presence, forcing reliance on young forwards like Adam Fantilli.
Colorado Avalanche:
Gabriel Landeskog (LW): Out (Upper body; expected out weeks, until at least January 19).
Devon Toews (D): Out (Upper body; out until at least January 21).
Joel Kiviranta (LW): Out (Lower body; out until at least January 16).
Mackenzie Blackwood (G): IR (Lower body; out until at least January 16).
Despite the absences, Colorado’s depth has kept them rolling, with Alexandar Georgiev likely starting in net.
Player Matchups to Watch
Projected lineups pit Columbus’ youth against Colorado’s star power, with the Avalanche’s speed likely overwhelming the Blue Jackets’ defense.
Adam Fantilli (Blue Jackets C) vs. Nathan MacKinnon (Avalanche C): Fantilli, a rising star with 0.55 points/game, anchors Columbus’ top line but faces MacKinnon (league-leading 36 goals, 1.45 points/game), who’s on a tear with multi-point games in 7 of his last 10.
This center-ice battle could dictate pace.
Kirill Marchenko (Blue Jackets RW) vs. Mikko Rantanen (Avalanche RW): Marchenko provides sniper threat (0.48 goals/game) on Fantilli’s wing, but Rantanen’s size and skill (1.28 points/game) will test Columbus’ zone exits.
Dmitri Voronkov (Blue Jackets LW) vs. Jonathan Drouin (Avalanche LW): Voronkov adds physicality (6.2 hits/game), clashing with Drouin’s playmaking (0.72 assists/game) on Colorado’s top unit.
Goaltending: Elvis Merzlikins (Blue Jackets) vs. Alexandar Georgiev (Avalanche) – Georgiev projects a .925 save percentage edge amid Colorado’s stingy defense.
Series History
The Avalanche hold a 45-24-1 all-time edge in 70 meetings against the Blue Jackets.
In the last 10 games, Colorado is 7-3, including a 5-2 win on February 8, 2020, but Columbus has won 2 of the last 5, like a 4-3 thriller on November 3, 2021.
At Ball Arena, the Avalanche are 23-12 all-time vs. Columbus, with games averaging 6.1 goals and the over hitting in 6 of the last 10.
Betting Trends
Avalanche are 4-1 in their last 5 games and 10-13 ATS on the road but 18-3 ATS at home.
Blue Jackets are 11-5 as road favorites of -151 to -200 (but underdogs here) and 13-5 in their last 18 vs. Central teams.
The over has hit in 3 of Columbus’ last 7 as favorites, while under is 3-1-3 in their last 7 overall.
Top Pick: Avalanche -1.5 (-120)
Alternative: Under 6.5
Game Odds
Columbus Blue Jackets 6.5
Colorado Avalanche – 285
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, January 9, 2026
