NHL betting preview (March 27): Blues vs. Predators odds
Join Daily Faceoff’s Andy MacNeil as he handicaps Thursday’s Central Division matchup between the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators.
Blues vs. Predators Odds
- St. Louis Blues Moneyline: -145
- Nashville Predators Moneyline: +120
- Puck Line: Blues -1.5 (+185), Predators +1.5 (-225)
- Game Total: 5.5 (Over +115, Under -135)
Game odds via Sports Interaction.
Handicapping the Blues (38-35 SU, 43-30 ATS, 31-37-5 O/U)
The St. Louis Blues will look to extend their win streak to eight games on Thursday. They currently sit three points ahead of the Vancouver Canucks for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference, a lead that would grow to five with a win in Nashville. The Blues could also tie the Minnesota Wild for the first wild-card spot if the Wild fail to earn a point against the Washington Capitals.
The Blues have been on fire offensively, scoring four or more goals in all eight games during this win streak, but they’ve also been on point defensively, allowing two or fewer goals in seven of eight games. In fact, only three teams have scored more goals or allowed fewer goals in all situations than St. Louis since the start of February.
Since Feb. 1, the Blues have posted the best five-on-five goal differential (+26) by far, and this isn’t just a run of good luck, either. According to Evolving Hockey, the Blues rank ninth in expected goals and 11th in shot attempts at five-on-five since the start of February, and they’ve looked even better in March.
St. Louis has also posted the seventh-best power play percentage (29.8) since Feb. 1, and the team has converted on 30.3 percent of their opportunities on the man advantage this month.
On the injury front, forward Pavel Buchnevich has missed the last three games and is currently listed day-to-day due to an illness. However, head coach Jim Montgomery said that the 29-year-old is getting better. It’s unclear if Buchnevich will be an option for the Blues on Thursday.
Handicapping the Predators (27-44 SU, 29-42 ATS, 28-43-0 O/U)
There are just 10 games remaining for the Nashville Predators before they can put this nightmare of a season behind them. The Predators have posted the third-worst record (27-36-8) in the Western Conference after being pegged to be one of the best teams in the Central Division prior to the season.
Nashville has surprised with a couple of upset wins as of late, defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 at home, and then winning 3-1 on the road against the Carolina Hurricanes, but a 4-1 loss to the Blues was sandwiched between those victories and the Predators have lost five of their last seven games.
The Predators are 0-3 against the Blues this season. St. Louis has outscored them 15-6 in those three meetings, covering the puck line each time. The Blues can sweep the season series with a win on Thursday.
Nashville has posted respectable underlying metrics, particularly in March. The Predators rank eighth in expected goals and 13th in shot attempts at five-on-five, but they also ranked 25th in goal share this month. Offense has been the main issue, as no team has scored fewer goals per 60 minutes than Nashville this season, but they haven’t been much better defensively, ranking among the bottom-10 teams in goals against per 60.
Moreover, defenseman Roman Josi hasn’t played since Feb. 25 and it’s unclear whether he will play again this season or not.
Best bet for Blues vs. Predators
- St. Louis Blues Moneyline (-145) at Sports Interaction
Bettors should expect the Blues to continue their dominance over the Predators on Thursday given the huge gap between the two clubs. Nashville doesn’t match up well with the St. Louis offensively or defensively, and given the Blues current form, their -145 odds suggest they are being undervalued by the betting market heading into this game.