The St. Louis Blues (32-28-3) travel to face off against the New York Rangers (40-18-4) on Saturday, March 9th. This game will be played at Madison Square Garden in New York and televised on ESPN+. Both the Blues and Rangers will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 ET.
Blues vs Rangers
The St. Louis Blues Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
On the season, the Blues are 10th in the Western Conference standings with 67 points and a record of 32-28-3. In the Central Division, St. Louis is in 5th place with an 8-12 record. Over their last ten games, the Blues have gone just 3-7 and have lost two straight games.
When playing on the road this season, St. Louis has gone 14-17-2, and as the underdog in games, they have a record of 25-20-3. For the year, the Blues have been the underdog in 48 of their 63 games.
On the road this season, the Blues have a puck line record of 16-17, and they have gone 5-5 vs. the puck line in their last ten road games. So far, St. Louis has 13 wins by just one goal and 19 wins by multiple goals.
So far, the Blues are 29-19 vs. the puck line as an underdog, and they have dropped their last two games vs. the puck line. In their last ten games, St. Louis has a puck line record of 4-6.
Following a 4-1 loss on the road to the Devils, the Blues are eager to bounce back. Offensively, the Blues did not score in the first or third periods vs. the Devils but found the net one time in the second period. Against New Jersey, St. Louis’ offense scored their only goal at even strength. They recorded 24 shots on goal overall.
Entering the game as the underdog, St. Louis not only suffered a straight-up loss but also failed to cover the puck line. The game ended below the over/under line of 6.5, with a combined total of 5 goals.
The New York Rangers Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
At home this season, the Rangers have gone 21-8-0 and are 32-14-2 when favored. In the Eastern Conference, New York is in third place and has a record of 22-12 against conference opponents. Overall, the Rangers are 40-18-4 and have 84 points, which has them in first place in the Metropolitan Division.
Over their last ten games, the Rangers are 7-3, and they have gone 2-3 in their last five games. In their previous three games, New York has gone 1-2.
At home this year, the Rangers have gone 14-15 against the puck line, and they have an average scoring margin of +.7 goals per game. So far, they have 24 wins by multiple goals and 16 by just one goal.
Overall, New York is 31-31 against the puck line, including going 2-1 vs. the puck line in their last three games. In their last ten home games, the Rangers are 7-3 vs. the puck line.
The Rangers aim to bounce back following their 4-2 loss at home to the Panthers. In terms of offense, the Rangers netted one goal during the opening period and one time in the second period. Their two goals came during a power play situation. In total, they took 28 shots on goal and had 6 giveaways.
Entering the game as the underdog, New York not only suffered a straight-up loss but also failed to cover the puck line. The teams surpassed the over/under line, which was set at 5.5 goals, with a combined total of 6 goals.
St. Louis Offense Breakdown
For their offensive performance, the Blues come in averaging 2.8 goals per game this season, which is 26th in the NHL. In the category of shots on goal per game, they are 26th in the league. This season, the Blues have a 12-9 record in games where they outshoot their opponent. In games with fewer shots on goal, they hold a 19-17 record.
The Blues come in with an over/under record of 25-32-6. Over the course of the season, they have had 27 games failing to surpass the 6 goal over/under line. The average number of goals in their games is at 5.9 per game.
Rangers Offense Breakdown
In terms of their offensive performance, the Rangers are averaging 3.3 goals per game this season, putting them in the 11th spot in the NHL. When it comes to shots on goal per game, they are ranked 17th in the league. Coming into the game, the Rangers have a 24-11 record when they have more shots on goal than their opponent. When they have fewer shots on goal, they are 16-6.
The Rangers come in with an over/under record of 31-28-3. Over the season, there have been 28 games that have surpassed the 6 over/under line. Their games, on average, are at 6.1 goals per game.
St. Louis Team Defense
In terms of defense, the Blues head into the game ranked 8th in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 31.9 shots per game against St. Louis. So far, they are 15th in shutouts, achieving 4 shutouts.
New York Team Defense
The Rangers defense is currently 21st in goals allowed. Opponents are averaging 29.4 shots per game against New York. In terms of shutouts, they come into the game ranked 21st with 3 shutouts.
Blues vs Rangers Trends
- In their last ten games away from home, the Blues have a straight up record of 4-6 while going 5-5 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 2 goals per game in these contests.
- In their last three home games, New York has averaged 3 goals per game while allowing 2. The team’s record in this stretch was 2-1 while going 2-1 vs. the spread.
- Looking back on the team’s last three games as the underdog, the Rangers have a straight up record of 1-2. Their record vs the puck line in these games was 2-1.
- In their last three games as the betting favorite, the Blues have a strong straight up record of 2-1. In addition, their puck line record was 2-1 in these scenarios.
Blues vs Rangers Prediction
If you’re looking for a straight moneyline bet, then the Rangers are the way to go. However, with a payout of -207, you might consider using this bet as a leg of a parlay.
My recommended pick for the puck line is to take the Blues to cover. Even if the Rangers win straight-up, this one should be close throughout and the Blues should cover the puck line.
If you’re looking at the over/under line set at 6 goals, our prediction is that this game will exceed that mark, and we strongly advise placing a bet on the over.
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 9, 2024 Blues, Rangers