The St. Louis Blues (32-27-3) travel to face off against the New Jersey Devils (30-28-4) on Thursday, March 7th. This game will be played at Prudential Center in Newark and televised on ESPN. Both the Blues and Devils will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 ET.
Blues vs Devils
The St. Louis Blues Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
Heading into tonight’s game, the St. Louis Blues have an overall record of 32-27-3, which puts them in 5th place in the Central Division and 9th in the Western Conference. In games against other Western Conference teams, the Blues have gone 18-17 this season.
On the road, St. Louis has gone 14-16-2, and in games where they have been the underdog, they have gone 25-19-3. Over their last ten games, the Blues have gone 4-6, and in their last five games, they have gone 2-3.
St. Louis comes into this game with a puck line record of 35-27 and they have gone 2-1 against the puck line in their last three games. On the road, the Blues have gone 16-16 against the puck line this year and 6-4 in their last ten.
So far this year, the Blues have 19 wins by multiple goals and 13 wins by just one goal. Overall, their average scoring margin is -.2 goals per game, and they have gone 29-18 against the puck line when listed as the underdog.
Following a 4-2 loss on the road to the Islanders, the Blues are eager to bounce back. The Blues couldn’t find the net offensively in the first or third periods against the Islanders, but they did score two times in the second period. In the game, St. Louis managed to score all two goals at even strength. They concluded with 21 shots on goal and committed 8 turnovers.
St. Louis entered as the underdog and suffered both a straight-up loss and did not cover the puck line. The game ended with 6 goals, resulting in a push on the over/under line.
The New Jersey Devils Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
At home this season, the Devils have a record of 14-16-2 and have lost two straight games in their own building. In the Eastern Conference, New Jersey comes into the game in 12th place and 7th in the Metropolitan Division. Over their last ten games, the Devils have gone just 3-7.
For the year, New Jersey is 30-28-4 and has been favored in 44 of their 62 games. When the Devils are favored, they have gone 25-17-2. Over their last five games, New Jersey has just one win and has lost three straight games.
On the season, New Jersey has a puck line record of 21-41, including going just 5-27 at home. Their average scoring differential per game is -.2 goals per contest, and they have lost three straight games vs. the puck line.
So far this year, the Devils have won 17 games by multiple goals, and they have dropped 22 games by more than one goal. In their last ten games at home, New Jersey has a puck line record of just 3-7.
The Devils are looking to bounce back from a 5-3 loss at home to the Panthers. Throughout the game against the Panthers, Devils’ offense managed to score in every single period. New Jersey’s one power-play goals contributed to their total of 3 goals. Their offensive performance came with 24 shots on goal and five giveaways.
Coming in as the underdog, New Jersey not only lost straight-up but also failed to cover the puck line. The teams surpassed the over/under line, which was set at 6.5 goals, with a combined total of 8 goals.
St. Louis Offense Breakdown
On offense, the Blues are averaging 2.8 goals per game which is 26th in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are 26th in the league. In terms of power play goals, the Blues offense is 24th in power play goals. As for shorthanded goals, they are 3rd in the NHL.
This season, the Blues’ have an over/under record of 25-31-6. Throughout the season, they have played 38 games that did not exceed the 6.5 over/under line. On average, their games are averaging 6 goals per game.
Devils Offense Breakdown
For their offensive performance, the Devils come in averaging 3.3 goals per game this season, which is 10th in the NHL. In the category of shots on goal per game, they are 8th in the league. The New Jersey offense is ranked 13th in power play goals. As for shorthanded goals, they find themselves at 29th in the NHL.
So far, the Devils have an over/under record of 36-25-1. Coming into the game, they have played 37 games that went beyond the 6.5 over/under line. Their games, on average, had 6.8 goals per game.
St. Louis Team Defense
The Blues defense is currently 9th in goals allowed. Opponents are averaging 31.9 shots per game against St. Louis. In terms of shutouts, they come into the game ranked 13th with 4 shutouts.
New Jersey Team Defense
Entering the game, the Devils’ defense ranks 13th in takeaways, averaging 6.9 takeaways per contest. In the NHL, they currently stand at 26th in terms of goals allowed, giving up an average of 3.2 goals per game.
Blues vs Devils Trends
- Across their ten previous road games, St. Louis has an puck line mark of 6-4. Their straight up record in these matchups was 5-5 while averaging 2 goals per game.
- When looking at their past five home matchups, New Jersey has an puck line record of 1-4 while averaging 3 per game. The team went 2-3 overall in these games.
- Looking back on the team’s last five games as the underdog, the Devils have a straight up record of 2-3. Their record vs the puck line in these games was 3-2.
- Looking back on the team’s last ten games as the favorite, the Blues have a straight up record of 5-5. Their record vs the puck line in these games was 5-5.
Blues vs Devils Prediction
If you’re searching for a moneyline bet in this matchup, our analysis favors the Devils as the likely winner. Nevertheless, considering the current odds at -188, I’d suggest exploring the puc line bet, as our projections indicate the Devils winning by more than a single goal.
For a puck line prediction, our preference is the Devils to secure a win and cover. Anticipate the Devils to win this one by multiple goals over the Blues.
If you’re looking at the the over/under line set at 6.5 goals, our prediction is that this game will stay below that threshold, and we strongly suggest placing a bet on the under.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* 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.
Last updated:March 7, 2024 Blues, Devils