The St. Louis Blues visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night as the two teams fall in the standings. The teams met in St. Louis on November 14th, with St. Louis leaving with a 5-0 shutout win. It is time to continue our NHL odds series with a Blues-Lightning prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.

The Blues were at an all-time low on the morning of December 14th. They had lost four games in a row, which led to the firing of beloved head coach Craig Berube. Reporters asked Jordan Kyrou what he thought of the firing, as it was known that the pair didn't always see eye-to-eye. “I've got no comment. He's not my coach anymore,” were the words that Kyrou chose to explain the firing. It didn't go over well with the Blues' fans, as they booed him every time he touched the puck in that night's game. However, under interim coach Drew Bannister, the Blues won that game 4-2 over the Ottawa Senators. They followed that up with a 4-3 overtime win on Saturday night, with Kyrou chipping in three points and being named the game's first star.

The Lightning are looking far from the team that made it to three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals just two seasons ago. They are 14-13-5, sitting in fifth place in the Atlantic division. They went on a Western road trip where they lost three out of five games. However, now is the time for them to turn it around, as they have five of their next six games at home to close out 2023. The good news for the Lightning is that Andrei Vasilevsky is back in good health, starting eight of the last nine games.

Here are the NHL Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NHL Odds: Blues-Lightning Odds

St. Louis Blues: +1.5 (-160) ML (+146)

Tampa Bay Lightning: -1.5 (+132) ML (-178)

Over: 6.5 (-118)

Under: 6.5 (-104)

How to Watch Blues vs. Lightning

Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT

TV: Bally Sports

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Blues Will Cover The Spread/Win

The Blues have looked a lot better in their two games under Bannister. Craig Berube was a hard-nosed coach who expected a lot out of everyone on his roster. It's possible that his taxing style affected his players so much that a new voice in the room will propel them to a long winning streak. One player who looked like he had a weight taken off his shoulders was Jordan Kyrou on Saturday night. The player was brought to tears on Thursday night by reporters but managed to tally three points and get a hero's welcome on the ice when accepting his first star designation. If the Blues continue playing like they did in their last two games, they can beat anyone. Especially a team returning after losing three out of five games on a Western Canada road trip.

Why The Lightning Will Cover The Spread/Win

It isn't rare to see a team get a shot of adrenaline after firing their coach. The Blues beat the Senators in their inaugural game with Bannister at the helm, which wasn't a surprise as the Senators were struggling even more than the Blues. The Senators will be the latest team with the chance of a new head coach bump as they fired DJ Smith a game later. The more surprising victory for the Blues was Saturday night when they beat the Dallas Stars in overtime. The Stars had won three of four games coming into the matchup and were battling for first place in the Central Division, a spot they eventually took on Monday night with a win over the Kraken. Now the Blues have the task of going on the road to steal a win away from the Tampa Bay Lightning.

This is a perfect spot for the Lightning to get back on track after a disappointing road trip. The Lightning are a savvy veteran team that knows they have to stop any losing skids in their tracks. They play in a challenging Atlantic Division and can find themselves on the outside looking in very quickly. You should expect them to show up with a business-like approach tonight and take care of business against the Blues. They are playing their first game at home in almost two weeks, while the Blues go on the road for the first time since Berube's firing. It has been an emotional week for the Blues, and the taxing weekend plus a cross-country flight doesn't bode well for them having much in the tank on Tuesday night.

Final Blues-Lightning Prediction & Pick

The Lightning may be able to take advantage of the Blues emotional weekend and win big on Tuesday night. It's a tale as old as time that a team gets a boost from a new voice coaching them in the room. Their old head coach, Craig Berube, had taken a toll on the players, and they needed a fresh start. Drew Bannister motivated the team to win two games at home against the Senators and Stars over the weekend. However, the emotions of losing their long-time coach and having to take a cross-country flight make you think this is a perfect opportunity for them to take a night off.

The Lightning are furious about their play on the Western Canadian road trip. They lost three out of five games and were outscored 12-0 in crucial second periods. They gave themselves no chance to win games in the third period, so expect them to emphasize that tonight and try to get out to a big lead.

Final Blues-Lightning Prediction & Pick: Lightning -1.5 (+132)