The St. Louis Blues cooled off since hiring Jim Montgomery, and it won't get any easier when they face the Minnesota Wild. After a hot start, the Wild also went through some rough times, but they are back in the win column recently and catching back up to the Winnipeg Jets for first in the Central Division. The teams are no strangers to each other, as they have a long-standing rivalry and already faced off twice this season. The Wild won both games in St. Louis, 4-1 in the first matchup and 4-2 in the second. It's time to continue our NHL odds series with a Blues-Wild prediction and pick.

Here are the Blues-Wild NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NHL Odds: Blues-Wild Odds

St. Louis Blues: +1.5 (-220)

Moneyline: +122

Minnesota Wild: -1.5 (+176)

Moneyline: -146

Over: 5.5 (-102)

Under: 5.5 (-120)

How To Watch Blues vs. Wild

Time: 8 PM ET/5 PM PT

TV: Fanduel Sports Network

*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*

Why the Blues Could Cover the Spread/Win

The Blues got back on track when they hired Jim Montgomery, which most expected, as we've seen it happen plenty of times in other sports. However, as sure as people were that they'd get a boost from the hiring, they were just as sure there'd be a letdown spot at some point. The only question was what version of the Blues we'd see when everything settled. They may have answered that by winning four out of five games, including the 6-2 result over the Chicago Blackhawks in the Winter Classic. St. Louis dropped their last game to the Columbus Blue Jackets but are eager to hand the Wild a loss in this game, considering their 0-2 record against them this season.

The Blues expected their offense to improve under Montgomery, but it has been exploding over their past ten games. St. Louis averages 2.76 goals per game this season, including their last ten games, averaging 3.3. Montgomery has improved the Blues' offense by nearly a whole goal per game, which makes it not such a big surprise that they've turned it around. St. Louis is just two points out of a playoff spot, and it seems like they could stick around the race for the rest of the season.

Why the Wild Could Cover the Spread/Win

The Wild's offense has led them to plenty of success over the past six games. It's a slight change from the start of the season when their goaltenders were lights out. However, Minnesota believes that it will eventually all come together in time for a postseason run. The Wild have won five of their past six games, including massive victories over the Dallas Stars, Washington Capitals, and Carolina Hurricanes. The knock on Minnesota before the run was their inability to beat some of the league's better teams, but that narrative changed with the recent victories.

The Wild can tie the Winnipeg Jets for first in the Central Division with a win in this game. They'll need Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury to continue their torrid pace, as they've combined for a 2.00 goals-against average and a .943 save percentage over their past five appearances.

Final Blues-Wild Prediction & Pick

The Wild have been flirting with disaster, allowing plenty of shots on goal but getting bailed out by their goaltending. They allowed just 21 shots in their last game against the Carolina Hurricanes but allowed 30+ in five straight before that. The Blues might not find a way to win this game, but both teams should combine for enough goals to hit the over.

Final Blues-Wild Prediction & Pick: Over 5.5 (-102)