Reeling Blues hope to bounce back in Philly
Having dropped six of their past eight games, the Blues are far from a lock to make the playoffs. The newest development on the health front won’t help matters, either.
Top-six forward Robby Fabbri suffered a season-ending ACL injury during Saturday’s 4-1 loss to Pittsburgh. St. Louis has no time to lick its wounds, though, as Philadelphia (26-20-7) awaits tonight. Online sports book Bovada.lv gives the host Flyers odds of -125 to emerge victorious. Mike Yeo’s club, on the other hand, represents a +105 underdog.
Just eight points shy of matching his total from last year, Fabbri now won’t be ready to deploy again until training camp. The Note will sorely miss the former first-rounder’s speed and playmaking ability, particularly against a physical squad like the Flyers. Dave Hakstol’s troops boast a 4-1-1 record since Jan. 22, putting themselves in the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
While Philly continues to benefit from balanced scoring, goaltender Michal Neuvirth is perhaps the biggest reason for the organization’s recent surge. The Czech native’s allowed one tally in each of his last three starts. Basically, Steve Mason’s stint as the No. 1 option between the pipes appears at an end.
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The Blues’ road mark of 8-13-1 doesn’t exactly titillate the masses. As these contests begin to take on a must-win tenor, however, we expect St. Louis to ramp up the energy level. Bank on a one-goal affair at at Wells Fargo Center.
MONDAY NHL FREE PICK: BLUES +1.5