Lightning vs. Blues Pick
Are the St. Louis Blues going to get the job done on their home ice tonight when they play the Tampa Bay Lightning at 8 PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, the Lightning are a -125 favorite on the money line. St. Louis is a +105 underdog, while the total sits at 5.5 goals.
Tampa Bay comes in at 21-6-1-1 after a 4-3 home overtime win Saturday over the Jets. St. Louis is 21-8-2-0 following a 3-2 home overtime victory Sunday against the Sabres. The Lightning won the first meeting this season on its home ice by a 2-1 score on Oct. 14. Tampa Bay is 2-1 in three meetings since the start of last season. The over is 2-1.
In the win against Winnipeg, Brayden Point scored the game-winner in the first minute of overtime off an assist from Anton Stralman. Yanni Gourde, Nikita Kucherov and Mikhal Sergachev added one goal apiece. Point also dished out an assist. Tyler Johnson added two assists. Andre Vasilevskiy saved 17 of 20 shots sent his way. Kucherov tied the score at 2-2 with 11:09 left in the third period to help send the game into overtime.
Vladimir Tarasenko scored his 14th goal of the season with 36 seconds left in overtime to end it. Colton Parayko and Paul Stastny assisted on the goal. Stastny and Brayden Schenn both scored a goal in the win. Joel Edmundson recorded two assists. Jake Allen made 22 saves on 24 shots. The Blues held a 2-0 lead heading into the third period before allowing two goals.
Tampa Bay is 2-6 in the last eight meetings. The home team is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
Tampa Bay has the most potent offenses in the NHL, averaging an NHL-best 3.8 goals per game while still ranking fifth in goals against (2.5 per). But the Blues aren’t too shabby either, ranking sixth in goals per (3.3) and fourth in goals against (2.5). I like the Blues’ defense and goaltending enough to pick them here to upset the Lightning, keeping Stamkos and company at bay. St. Louis has done well in recent history in this series. Expect it to continue.
NHL DAILY PREDICTION: ST. LOUIS BLUES +105