Two of the most historic NHL teams will go head to head tonight as they look to get their seasons on track. It’s a game you’re not going to want to miss and you definitely want to bet on it based on our prediction for the game.
Game Info: Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at 8:00 pm (Enterprise Center)
Betting Odds: St. Louis Blues +121 / Boston Bruins -152 | Over/Under: 5.5
Both the St. Louis Blues and the Boston Bruins enter this matchup with records that show their early struggles in the season. Neither have been dominant, but that doesn’t mean they can’t turn it around.
The Bruins, slightly favored here at -152, have shown some slight defensive vulnerabilities, currently ranked 22nd overall in the league when it comes to defense.
On the other side of the ice, the Blues come in with +121 odds but are fresh off a crushing loss, giving up a whopping 8 goals to the Washington Capitals. The total goals over/under is set at a modest 5.5, which seems optimistic given both teams' recent offensive struggles. Maybe the bookmakers are onto something? Let’s dig in a bit more.
The St. Louis Blues are looking to regroup after a demoralizing performance against Washington where they scored a single goal.
Their defense absolutely fell apart, conceding 8 goals to the Caps, with 5 of those in a disastrous third period.
Goalie Jordan Binnington struggled throughout most of the game, saving only 19 of the 27 shots he faced, a low mark that has raised questions about his consistency and whether he’ll stay around. The Blues are currently ranked 27th in defense, allowing an average of 3.47 goals per game. Offensively, they’re not much better off either, averaging just 2.53 GPG, putting them 25th in the league.
Nothing is looking up for the Blues.
If the Blues hope to be competitive, they need a stronger defensive showing from Binnington and a few other key players like Scott Perunovich, who scored their lone goal in the last game. Aiming to break out of this slump at home, the Blues will have to focus on containing the Bruins’ attack while finding the few slim opportunities to create momentum offensively.
If you thought the Blues were bad, well, the Bruins aren’t much better off.
The Boston Bruins have also been inconsistent this season. Coming off a tight overtime loss to the Senators, they have yet to find stability on offense, ranking 26th in the league with an average of only 2.5 goals per game.
David Pastrnak leads the team with a moderate 6 goals and 8 assists, but the team needs more support around him to build momentum. He can’t do it all himself and he’s not having the best season of his career. In the last 2 seasons, his points were more than double at the same point in the season.
On the defensive end, goalie Jeremy Swayman has been solid in terms of shot-stopping, as he saved 31 of 34 shots against the Senators. However, the Bruins’ overall defense is giving away an average of 3.25 GPG, highlighting some struggles on the blue line.
For Boston to gain traction, they’ll look for scoring opportunities from key players like Brad Marchand, who has been consistent with goals in 3 of their last 4 games when listed as the favorites. If Marchand and Pastrnak get going, the Bruins could capitalize on St. Louis’s slow and sloppy defense.
Historically, games between the Bruins and Blues have leaned toward tighter defensive battles. That means they often trended toward lower scores.
Given the inconsistency of both offenses this season, it’s hard to expect any offensive breakout here.
With both teams averaging under 3 goals per game and struggling to convert on power plays, the under seems like a strong bet. There might be a goal or two on each side.
Beyond that, Boston’s recent betting trends as a favorite suggest they’ve been reliable in covering low-scoring games. St. Louis on the other hand has often been hampered when their defense struggles early.
With that, we’re expecting both teams to focus on staying tight in their own end rather than taking high risks offensively.
For this matchup, the under 5.5 goals is the big bet to make.
Both teams’ recent performances go to show how low their offensive productivity has been, and neither side has shown the firepower to pull off a high-scoring game.
The Bruins are a slight favorite here and we think they’re likely to get a narrow win, but the best bet remains on the under.
If both teams continue their recent form, we should see a defensive battle that ends with a close score under 5.5 goals.