The Honda Center will be hosting a Western Conference showdown as the Anaheim Ducks face off against the visiting St. Louis Blues. It’s the third and final time that these two clubs will meet in the regular season. Fox Sports Midwest will broadcast the matchup, and the puck drops at 10 p.m. ET on Monday, March 12.
St. Louis Blues at Anaheim Ducks Odds
Anaheim (-170) is currently favored over St. Louis (+150), and the Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 5 goals. The odds for betting that total stand at -130 over, +110 under.
St. Louis is 36-32 straight up (SU) and has lost 3.1 units for moneyline bettors this year. 41 of its games have gone under the total, while 26 have gone over and just one has pushed. As the road team in 2017-18, the Blue Notes are 16-18 SU.
St. Louis has converted on just 15.2 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a figure that places them in the bottom- overall among NHL teams. Additionally, its penalty kill is ranked 15th overall, and it has successfully killed off 80.9 percent of all penalties.
The Blue Notes, as a collective unit, have been penalized just 3.5 times per game this season, 3.8 per game over its last five games total, and 3.4 per game over its last five road outings. The team’s been forced to defend opponent power plays 9.4 minutes per game over their last five road outings.
With a .907 save percentage and 25.3 saves per game, Jake Allen (20-26-2) has been the primary option in goal for St. Louis this year. If St. Louis chooses to rest him, however, head coach Mike Yeo might turn to Carter Hutton (17-13-3 record, .934 save percentage, 2.02 goals against average).
Vladimir Tarasenko and Brayden Schenn will both lead the offensive attack for the visiting Blues. Tarasenko (58 points) has tallied 27 goals and 31 assists, and has recorded two or more points 16 times. Schenn has 24 goals and 33 assists to his nameand has registered a point in 37 games.
On the other side of the rink, Anaheim is 34-35 straight up (SU) and has lost 2.6 units for moneyline bettors this year. 42 of its outings have gone under the total, while 26 have gone over and just one has pushed. It’s 19-14 SU at home this year.
The Ducks have converted on just 17.9 percent of their power play chances this season, a mark that’s ranked 25th in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 10th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 82.5 percent of all opponent power plays.
Ducks players have been sent to the penalty box 4.4 times per game in total this season, and 3.6 per game over their last ten contests. The team has had to defend opponent power plays just 8.4 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
John Gibson has stopped 29.6 shots per game as the primary selection in goal for the Ducks. Gibson has 26 wins, 24 losses, and seven overtime losses to his name and has registered a 2.49 goals against average and a .926 save percentage this year.
Rickard Rakell (30 goals, 29 assists) will lead the offensive counter for the Ducks.
St. Louis Blues vs. Anaheim Ducks Betting Predictions
Free NHL Pick: SU Winner – Ducks, O/U – Over
Betting Trends
- Seven of Anaheim’s last ten contests have been decided by two or more goals. The team is 5-2 overall in those games.
- The Blues are 16-12 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 26-20 when they serve fewer than 10 penalty minutes, in total.
- Two of Anaheim’s last ten games have ended in a shootout. The team is 1-1 in those games and 4-7 overall in shootouts this year.
- The over has hit in three of Anaheim’s last five games.
- Anaheim skaters have averaged 12.2 giveaways over its last five home games, a rise over its season average of 10.0 giveaways per game (ranked 20th in the league).
- St. Louis has averaged 7.6 giveaways over its last five home games, a rise over its season average of 6.0 giveaways per game (the third-fewest in the NHL).
- This game features a couple of the tougher teams in the league. St. Louis skaters have accounted for the league’s 11th-most hits per game (22.4) and the Ducks have handed the sixth-most (24.2).
