It's a cross-conference matchup on Thursday night as the struggling Buffalo Sabres try to get their season on track with a Central division visit to the St. Louis Blues. It is time to continue our NHL odds series with a Sabres-Blues prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.

The Sabres thought this would be the year that finally broke their league-worst playoff drought. They aren't in that position yet, owning a 10-10-2 record and sixth place in the Atlantic division. The Sabres were inconsistent starting, and their star, Tage Thompson, suffered an injury. They may finally be starting to figure it out, as they are 3-1-1 over their last five games and coming off a confidence-building win over their rival New York Rangers. Their scoring was a big part of their success last season, and the team won't go anywhere without contributions from everyone on their top two lines. Devon Levi has also been a problem for the team, but Ukk0-Pekka Luukkonen has taken over the crease as Levi was sent to the American Hockey League.

The Blues lost their last game against the Minnesota Wild but were encouraged by the play of Jordan Binnington, who stopped 34 shots. Binnington's numbers are skewed since he isn't getting much help this season, as he is tied with Ilya Sorokin for the most games with over 30 saves. Their 11-9-1 record is good enough for fourth in the Central division. The Blues are one of the league's most surprising teams, boasting eight wins in their last 13 games. The Blues seem to thrive when everyone counts them out, and it looks like that will continue this season.

Here are the NHL Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NHL Odds: Sabres-Blues Odds

Buffalo Sabres: +1.5 (-230) ML (+104)

St.Louis Blues: -1.5 (+188) ML (-125)

Over: 6.5 (-115)

Under: 6.5 (-105)

How to Watch Sabres vs. Blues

Time: 8 PM ET/5 PM PT

TV: MSG, Bally Sports

Stream: FuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Sabres Will Cover The Spread/Win

Everyone is waiting for the Blues to stop finding ways to win and regress to their preseason outlook. However, they are two games over .500 and making a case to contend for a playoff spot in the Central division. That is also the case for the Sabres, as this was supposed to be their year to break out. It hasn't come yet, as their offense has gotten worse instead of better. They score 2.91 goals per game, and only three active skaters have more than five goals. This is a far cry from the dynamic offensive team everyone enjoyed watching last season.

They showed a glimpse of a return on Monday night when they beat the New York Rangers 5-1. Their downfall this season was a reliance on rookie goaltender Devon Levi, who may have taken on too much, too fast. Levi is now in the American Hockey League, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is their starter. Luukkonen has been dominant over his past four games, allowing only five goals. If tonight's game comes down to a goaltending battle, we will give the edge to Luukkonen. Buffalo's offense is also showing more potential than the Blues.

Why The Blues Will Cover The Spread/Win

The Blues are a better team than people give them credit for. They don't have a stellar offense, scoring only 2.86 goals per game, and their defense allows 3.05 goals per game. However, they find ways to win and keep themselves in the playoff picture. There's a good chance they will soon experience some regression and fall out of the race in the Central division. You can still trust them to give enough effort to beat the Sabres on home ice.

This game is a toss-up, as no one knows which version of these teams will show up on a given night. If you want to rely on the fact that the Blues will want to get a win on home ice before heading out on the road, that should be the way you lean. The Sabres are also in the middle of a road trip and may be primed for a letdown game after the big 5-1 win over the New York Rangers.

Final Sabres-Blues Prediction & Pick

There is some good value in looking at the total first tonight instead of picking a side. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has taken over the Sabres crease after rookie Devon Levi failed to capitalize on his preseason hype. Levi has been sent to the American Hockey League to continue getting work while Luukkonen continues his hot streak. “UPL,” as Buffalo fans affectionately know him, came into relief against the Boston Bruins on November 14th and stopped all 14 shots he faced. He followed that up with a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins. He backstopped the Sabres to a 5-1 win over the New York Rangers on Monday night. UPL has the hot hand in Buffalo right now, and St. Louis is statistically one of the worst offenses he will face in this stretch.

Binnington's consistency has been a bit muddy, but his last two games give hope. He stopped 33 of 35 shots in a 4-2 win over Chicago and then stopped 37 of 40 in a 3-1 loss to Minnesota. If the Blues can give him more defensive effort and lower his shots faced per game, Binnington will put the Blues in a position to win. However, we aren't worried about who wins the game with this bet. We want the goalies to continue their hot streak of goaltending. It seems like a good chance that UPL will do enough to keep this total under, and Binnington putting in another stellar effort will be the icing on the cake. People's infatuation with the Sabres offense helps us get the under 6.5 at plus money, which is a reach with how they have been faring this season.

Final Sabres-Blues Prediction & Pick: Under 6.5 (-105)