The St. Louis Blues were fortunate to get off to a blistering start despite owning a modest goal differential – and that disparity is starting to even out as the Blues look to end a three-game losing streak Thursday against visiting Vegas. St. Louis has been outscored 13-4 over its past three games and is in danger of dropping down the Central Division standings.
- Date/Time: December 12, 8 p.m. ET
- Arena: Enterprise Center
- TV Coverage: FS-MW, ATTSN-RM
- Sportsbook Odds: Vegas +113 / St. Louis -125 | O/U 5.5
- Golden Knights vs Blues Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
Bettors instantly jumped on Vegas’ underdog odds, driving down the Sportsbook line from Blues -125 to -120 or even -115 in some spots. The total sits at 5.5.
Vegas News & Notes
How were the Golden Knights able to shake off their recent back-end woes? By welcoming back their No. 1 goaltender. Marc-Andre Fleury made a triumphant and emotional return to the lineup after missing nearly three weeks following the death of his father, turning aside 28 shots as the Golden Knights cruised to a 5-1 triumph over the visiting Chicago Blackhawks.
Fleury’s presence should help stabilize a Vegas defense and goaltending unit that had allowed 11 goals over its previous three games and is struggling to maintain the lofty expectations it had set over its first two seasons. The Golden Knights rank 12th in the NHL in goals-against average after finishing in the top 10 in that category in each of their first two years of existence.
St. Louis News & Notes
Three straight three-goal losses have the Blues concerned – and the schedule doesn’t offer much relief, with four of their next eight games coming against teams with 40 or more points entering Wednesday. But while the defense is largely to blame, the team’s recent offensive struggles are also a factor – and not surprising given that four of the Blues’ top eight forwards are injured.
So what has kept the defending champions atop the Central Division perch? An incredible run of success in close games. The Blues enter their mid-week showdown with Vegas having earned points in all 15 of the one-goal games they’ve played so far this season (9-0-6). The Edmonton Oilers are the only other team still without a one-goal defeat in regulation.
Betting Pick: UNDER 5.5
The Golden Knights appear to be over their recent defensive struggles, and the Blues are much better than their recent efforts would suggest. Look for scoring chances to be at a premium in this one.
- Vegas is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games vs St. Louis.
- The UNDER is 10-5 in St. Louis’ last 15 games.
- The UNDER is 5-1 in Vegas’ last 6 games.
