The Chicago Blackhawks (12-14-6) visit the St. Louis Blues (19-8-6) in an 8 p.m. ET tilt at Enterprise Center Saturday. We analyze the Blackhawks-Blues odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.
Blackhawks at Blues: Projected starting goalies
Corey Crawford vs. Jordan Binnington
Crawford owns a 3.02 goals against average and .909 save percentage over 16 starts and one relief appearance. He comes in amid a slump, having logged a .874 SV% over his last five starts, and that includes a rough, four-goal game against the Blues Dec. 2.
Binnington has given the Blues a 2.43 GAA and .921 SV% through 24 games. He was shaky in being pulled two starts back but has otherwise been solid since mid-November. Binnington owns a .926 SV% at home.
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Blackhawks at Blues: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated 10:30 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Blues 4, Blackhawks 2
Moneyline (ML)
A wide berth here — 35-cent line — brackets the expectation on either side and with cushion to spare. In other words, the acceptable tags here would be either Chicago +180 or St. Louis -190. The actual line — Chicago +165/St. Louis -200 — covers the tracks of what would be a lean toward an unluckier Chicago side. PASS on what looks like an accurate number.
The Blackhawks are a better hockey club than their record would suggest, but they do play in a meat-grinder of a division (Central) with a tough schedule, and they continue to allow too many shots to avoid losing streaks like the spell they’re on. Chicago has lost three in a row and is a mere 3-7-2 over its last dozen games. Now, in closing out a three-game road stretch where they have thus far been outscored, 10-3, the ‘Hawks are without stay-at-home defenseman Calvin de Haan.
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
The ST. LOUIS (-1.5, +140) is the best number of these three. Chicago’s last seven non-regulation losses have been by deficits of the multi-goal variety. Six of the Blues’ last seven victories have been by two or more goals.
Over/under (O/U)
Chicago has been outscored, 50-37, on the road. The over is 13-4-4 over the last 21 meetings between these two Central Division foes. But, in general, there are some mixed signals in trying to peg a projectable total, and the price (Over 5.5, -129) makes this one a PASS.
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