St. Louis Blues vs. Anaheim Ducks: Odds, Picks, Predictions
The St. Louis Blues (31-31-12) travel to the Honda Center to face the Anaheim Ducks (41-29-5).
Puck drop is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET on Friday in Anaheim, California.
Season series and recent meetings
The season series is tied 1-1. Each team has won on the road.
Anaheim won 4-1 in St. Louis on Dec. 1 as a +125 underdog. St. Louis returned the favor with a 4-0 win on March 8 as a +132 road dog. Both games cashed on an under of 6.5 goals.
Team form and context
St. Louis has lost two straight games. Their latest was a 2-1 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday.
Robert Thomas scored the lone Blues goal in that game. It marked his 17th of the season.
The Blues have been strong since the Olympic break. They are 11-3-3 in that stretch and trail San Jose by five points for the final Western wild-card spot. Eight games remain on St. Louis’s schedule.
Anaheim dropped its third straight game on Wednesday. The Ducks fell 4-3 in San Jose after leading 3-2 late.
Troy Terry scored his 18th goal of the campaign in that loss. Anaheim still leads the Pacific Division, tied with another club, and has seven games left.
Injuries and lineup notes
The Ducks are missing left wing Cutter Gauthier. His absence removes a 38-goal scorer from Anaheim’s lineup due to an upper-body injury.
Blues coach Jim Montgomery indicated four lineup changes would be made. A Friday morning skate did not occur, so specific replacements remained unclear.
One key question is right wing Jordan Kyrou’s status. Kyrou had 31-plus goals in each of the prior three seasons but has just 17 this year.
Goaltending matchup
Projected starters are Joel Hofer for St. Louis and Lukas Dostal for Anaheim.
Hofer is 19-12-5 with a 2.59 GAA, .909 save percentage and six shutouts. He allowed five goals on 29 shots in a 5-4 loss to San Jose on Monday. Three of those goals were on the power play.
Since the Olympic break, Hofer has been outstanding. He went 6-1-2 with a 1.73 GAA and a .945 save percentage across nine March starts.
Hofer has faced Anaheim twice this season. He played 48 minutes after Jordan Binnington was pulled on Dec. 1, stopping 19 of 20. He recorded a shutout on March 8, stopping all 22 shots.
Dostal is 29-17-3 with a 3.03 GAA and .892 save percentage. He allowed four goals on 21 shots in the loss to San Jose on Wednesday.
Dostal has conceded three or more goals in eight of 11 starts since March began. He did not face St. Louis this season. Last year, he was 0-3-0 against the Blues with a 6.63 GAA and .754 save percentage across three starts.
Betting lines
Odds via BetMGM were checked at 5:30 p.m. ET. Filmogaz.com consolidated those lines for this preview.
| Market | Line |
|---|---|
| Moneyline | Blues +118 | Ducks -140 |
| Puck line (ATS) | Blues +1.5 (-220) | Ducks -1.5 (+180) |
| Over/Under | 6 (Over -118 | Under -102) |
St. Louis Blues vs. Anaheim Ducks: Odds, Picks, Predictions
The matchup projects as essentially a coin flip despite Anaheim being favored. The Ducks have the home edge and a stronger record overall.
The Blues need an almost flawless finish to reach the postseason. They likely require a 7-1-0 or 7-0-1 run over the remaining games to have a realistic chance.
Picks and analysis
Projected score: Blues 3, Ducks 2. The Blues’ recent defense and Hofer’s form make a low-scoring result likely.
Blues moneyline (+118) appears attractive for those backing St. Louis. However, confidence remains modest.
From a totals perspective, trends favor the under. The Blues are 1-8-1 on totals in their last 10 games. The Ducks sit 4-5-1 over that span.
Anaheim has scored three or fewer goals in five of its last 10. St. Louis has allowed three or more only twice in its last 10. The recommendation is to lean Under 6 (-102).
For more game previews and betting analysis, visit Filmogaz.com.
