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The St. Louis Blues are slowly realizing that the momentum from hiring a new coach doesn't last forever. They have been on a losing skid, and it won't get any easier when they visit the Florida Panthers on Friday night. The Panthers have been on a hot streak recently but haven't made up much ground in the division since all the top-four teams are on similar streaks. The Panthers are very familiar with Jim Montgomery-coached teams, as they've played his Boston Bruins in back-to-back playoff series with plenty of success. These teams will meet for the first time this season, but the Blues have had the Panthers' number, winning four of the last five matchups. It's time to continue our NHL odds series with a Blues-Panthers prediction and pick.
Here are the Blues-Panthers NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Blues-Panthers Odds
St. Louis Blues: +1.5 (+100)
Moneyline: +240
Florida Panthers: -1.5 (-120)
Moneyline: -300
Over: 5.5 (-115)
Under: 5.5 (-105)
How To Watch Blues vs. Panthers
Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
TV: Fanduel Sports Network, Sunrise
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
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Why the Blues Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Blues seem to have the Panthers' number, especially with their offense, which has scored 20 goals in their last five matchups. All four Blues' victories over the Panthers came as significant underdogs, which could be a good sign for their chances in this game. It'll be a different look for the Blues in this matchup, as they are more of an offensive-minded group under Montgomery. It could be a recipe for success if the Blues can continue their offensive dominance over the Panthers while being a more offensive-minded team.
Why the Panthers Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Panthers are feeling the effects of playing in the Atlantic Division, as a 7-2-1 record over their last ten games has led to gaining no ground in the standings. The rest of the top four in their division have nearly identical records, as the league's preeminent top division is reemerging after a slow start to the year. It'll only make the Panthers better as they battle for position all season, and Florida getting shutout in back-to-back games last week against the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks was the wake-up call the team needed. The Panthers bounced back from those two losses with consecutive six-goal performances, with the most impressive coming against the stingy Minnesota Wild defense on Wednesday night.
The Blues' poor offensive attack is starting to show signs of coming back after the initial bump from Montgomery's system. They scored one goal in three of their past four games, which will be nowhere near good enough to keep pace with the Panthers.
Final Blues-Panthers Prediction & Pick
It hasn't been the greatest performance from either team's goaltenders over the past five games. Sergei Bobrovsky and Spencer Knight combined for a 3-2-0 record with a 2.80 goals-against average and a .884 save percentage over that span, while Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer combined for a 1-3-1 record, 2.33 goals-against average, and a .894 save percentage.
The Panthers rank fifth in the NHL with 3.58 goals per game, and the Blues are averaging four goals per game over their past five matchups with Florida. This game can potentially be an explosive offensive matchup, and we'll take it to go over, especially if Knight gets the start for the Panthers.
Final Blues-Panthers Prediction & Pick: Over 5.5 (-115)
