NHL Predictions: October 25th Columbus Blue Jackets at Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins host the Blue Jackets in a Metropolitan Division clash. Welcome back to NHL Predictions here on Last Word on Hockey! Each day, we provide in-depth analysis, insights, and predictions for all the NHL’s games. In tonight’s matchup, the Pittsburgh Penguins look to extend their win streak to five against the middling Columbus Blue Jackets.

NHL Predictions

Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

Head-to-Head: Blue Jackets 0-0 Penguins

Time: 7:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)

How to Watch TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh; FDSNOH; Sportsnet+

The Pittsburgh Penguins, led by the Evgeni Malkin line, take on Zach Werenski and the Columbus Blue Jackets in a Saturday night matchup.

The Penguins’ Story

The good times continue to start the 2025-26 season in Pittsburgh. Coming into a game against the Stanley Cup Champ Florida Panthers on Thursday, the Penguins scrapped together a 5-3 victory. This marks their fourth straight win, dating back to their win against the Los Angeles Kings last weekend. The Penguins are now 6-2 this season, tied with the Washington Capitals and the Carolina Hurricanes for the second spot in the Metropolitan Division, a tenth of the way through the season. The new systems employed by Dan Muse and his coaching staff have been the stars of the season. Where the past Penguins would shrivel up when facing adversity, Muse’s Penguins fight back. Following a goal by Florida to cut the lead to one, the Penguins would quickly score to regain a two-goal cushion on three separate occasions. The team’s power play is also tops in the NHL, scoring at a 33.3% clip.

While Pittsburgh is getting offence from everywhere in their lineup, the top six have been the focal point to start the year. The “Mutant Line” of Evgeni Malkin, Justin Brazeau, and Anthony Mantha has yet to slow down. Malkin leads the team with 12 points through eight games. Meanwhile, Brazeau and Mantha have scored eight and six points, respectively. On the top line, Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell continue to play with great chemistry. They’ve scored 11 and eight points respectively. With the team’s offensive stars producing, Pittsburgh is tied for the fourth most goals for in the league with 28. To beat a defensive Blue Jackets team, this offence will need to continue pouring onto the Penguins’ opponents.

The Blue Jackets’ Story

The Blue Jackets come into this game on the second half of a back-to-back. They lost their game last night against the Washington Capitals by a score of 5-1. Columbus has struggled early, with a 3-4 record. The team has begun the season sitting in the middle of the league, a place they’ve found themselves in too often in recent years. A significant culprit of this issue is the team’s defensive play. Columbus ranks top five in the league in goals for, but bottom five in the league in goals against. While the explosive players like Kirill Marchenko have done their job, the defence and goaltending side haven’t held up as well.

Leading the Blue Jackets in scoring is Kirill Marchenko, with seven points in seven games. Young forwards like Dmitri Voronkov, Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson have been productive to start the year as well, with the trio all scoring at at least a half-a-point a game pace. Even giving up a large volume of goals, both of the Columbus’ goaltenders have put up respectable numbers. Jet Greaves has pitched a .928 save percentage, with Elvis Merlikzins trailing closely behind with a .927. The biggest issue for the Jackets currently is their defensive structure and lack of support in the defensive zone. Fixing this issue will be key to beating a high-scoring Penguins team.

NHL Prediction

A rested Pittsburgh team playing at home with all the momentum in the world is a good bet to defeat a tired, middling Blue Jackets team on the second night of a back-to-back. Expect a Penguins win and an extension of the win-streak to five.

NHL Prediction: Penguins win 6-4.

Prop Bet for the Night

A popular prop bet is the total goals over-8, with odds of +310. The Penguins and Blue Jackets tend to have higher-scoring games, expect that to continue here with a top ten offensive team facing a bottom five defensive team.

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