The St. Louis Blues (15-16-3) travel to face off against the Florida Panthers (20-11-2) on Friday, December 20th. This game will be played at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise and televised on ESPN+. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Puck drop is set for 7:00 ET.

Blues vs Panthers

The St. Louis Blues Are Coming Off A Win

With a 4-2 victory over the Maple Leafs, the Blues improved to 15-16-3 this season. St. Louis covered the puck line as underdogs, and the total line of 6 goals resulted in a push.

The Blues fell behind in the first period, but three unanswered goals put them ahead for good. Three different players scored for St. Louis, with Colton Parayko leading the way with two goals.

The Florida Panthers Are Coming Off A Win

Florida improved to 20-11-2 with a 4-2 win over the Stars. The Panthers, favored by -1.5 goals, covered the puck line. The total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 6 fell just short.

All four of Florida’s goals came from different players, with Sam Reinhart sealing the win with an empty-netter. The Panthers led 2-0 before the Stars tied it up, but A.J. Greer’s goal in the third period put Florida ahead for good.

St. Louis Offense Breakdown

St. Louis took 24 shots on goal and scored four times in their 4-2 win over Toronto. Colton Parayko found the net twice, bringing his season total to three goals. He also added his fifth assist on Pavel Buchnevich’s empty-netter, which was his fourth goal of the season.

The Blues were held scoreless in the first period before Parayko’s second goal of the year got them on the board. Jordan Kyrou followed with his third goal of the season. Ryan Suter picked up two assists, giving him three on the year.

Panthers Offense Breakdown

Carolina’s offense took 25 shots on goal and scored 4 times in their recent game against Dallas. A.J. Greer netted his first goal of the season, while Sam Reinhart added his 10th on an empty net. The Panthers had 16 giveaways and scored twice in the third period.

Four different players found the net for the Panthers, including Matthew Tkachuk, who scored his 3rd goal of the season on a power play. Carolina recorded 6 assists in the game, with Reinhart picking up his 11th assist of the year.

St. Louis Team Defense

Defensively, the Blues will look to build on their last game, where they held the Maple Leafs to just two goals. Jordan Binnington had a strong performance, making 35 saves with a 94.6% save percentage. The Blues’ defense also contributed 3 takeaways and 17 hits. The first goal they allowed came 5:25 into the first period, and the other came at 13:52 in the third.

Florida Team Defense

Defensively, the Panthers will look to carry over their performance from their previous game, where they gave up just two goals to the Stars. Spencer Knight recorded 23 saves with a 92% save percentage, and the Panthers’ defense added 8 takeaways and 22 hits. Both goals they allowed came in the second period, with one coming on the power play. They shut out the Stars in the 1st and 3rd periods.

Blues vs Panthers Trends

• In their last ten games away from home, the Blues have a straight up record of 5-5 while going 6-4 vs. the spread. The team averaged 2 goals per game in this stretch.
• In their last five home games, Florida has averaged 3 goals per game while allowing 2. The team’s record in this stretch was 3-2 while going 3-2 vs. the spread.
• In their last three games as the betting underdog, the Panthers have a strong straight up record of 3-0. In addition, their puck line record was 3-0 in these scenarios.
• Looking back on the team’s last three games as the favorite, the Blues have a straight up record of 1-2. Their record vs the puck line in these games was 0-3.

Blues vs Panthers Prediction

To those searching for a pure moneyline wager, the Panthers is the clear pick. Still, with a payout of -275, it’s worth thinking about including this bet in a parlay.

For my recommended choice in the puck line, I’m leaning towards the Blues to cover. Even if the Panthers secure a straight-up win, this game is expected to be tightly contested, and the Blues should cover the puck line.

With an over/under line sitting at 5.5 goals, we like this game to surpass that mark and recommend getting a bet down on the over.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.