Florida at Columbus

Jacob Markstrom stopped nine of 11 shots in Buffalo on Monday, then stayed on the bench for the second period. Akira Schmid relieved him and allowed three goals on 21 shots in a 5-3 Florida loss. Schmid has now given up seven goals in the four periods he has played this season. The Panthers are back on the ice tonight with no rest and no Aleksander Barkov or Brad Marchand, both on injured reserve, and they have won two of their five games. Columbus has not played since Saturday, when it lost 5-3 at St. Louis, and its power play has scored on 20% of its chances. The Blue Jackets lost nine straight to Florida before winning 4-2 on March 5, and a run that old carries less weight with me than tonight’s rest edge. The puckline pays plus money, and Columbus has to win by two or more a little less than 31% of the time for the ticket to profit. A rested home team facing a tired, short-handed visitor with that goaltending question clears that bar. I’m laying the puckline with Columbus.