The Anaheim Ducks will battle the St. Louis Blues at the Enterprise Center on Thursday night. It’s a Western Conference showdown as we share our NHL odds series and make a Ducks-Blues prediction and pick.
This will be the first meeting between the Ducks and the Blues since the Ducks traded Cam Fowler to them. Substantially, the Blues swept the Ducks last season and have won seven in a row against them. The Blues are also 7-1-2 in the past 10 games against the Ducks, including 3-0-2 in the last five games at home against them.
Here are the Ducks-Blues NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Ducks-Blues Odds
Anaheim Ducks: +1.5 (-158)
Moneyline: +162
St. Louis Blues: -1.5 (+128)
Moneyline: -198
Over: 5.5 (-134)
Under: 5.5 (+110)
How To Watch Ducks vs Blues
Time: 8 PM ET/5 PM PT
TV: ESPN+, Victory+, KCOP, and FDSM
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Why the Ducks Could Cover the Spread/Win
When grading the trade of Fowler, it is too soon to determine who ‘won’ the deal since it was so recent. However, the trade has allowed the Ducks to play younger defensemen, as they have featured Jackson Lacombe and Pavel Mintyukov exclusively since the trade. It also has helped that the Ducks have added Jacob Trouba in a deal with the New York Rangers, giving them that veteran defenseman that could make a difference in the lineup.
While the offense has struggled this season, there has been a slight improvement in recent games as the Ducks have raised their mark from 32nd to 30th in goals. Overall, their marks on offense are still low. But the Ducks have 6-4-1 in their past 11 games while averaging 3.09 goals per game. The Ducks are 15-0-1 when they score three goals or more. Significantly, they have been getting better production from their top two lines.
Frank Vatrano has been solid and leads the team in shots while netting two goals and four assists over his past five games. Meanwhile, Ryan Strome has come alive, tallying two goals and five assists over his past six games. Troy Terry did not play on Tuesday, as he witnessed the birth of his child. However, he will likely return to the lineup this Thursday and lead the Ducks with 14 goals and 19 assists, including four powerplay markers.
The Ducks are still searching for offense and will still be without Trevor Zegras for another week or two. Therefore, other young stalwarts like Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier must find ways to finish at the net and convert on their shooting chances.
The Ducks will turn to either John Gibson or Lukas Dostal, as they have alternated between goalies. Gibson is 7-5-2 with a 2.79 goals-against average and a save percentage of .912. Meanwhile, Dostal is 10-11-3 with a 2.73 goals-against average and a save percentage of .913. Whoever starts will play behind a defense that is 14th in goals against and 26th on the penalty kill.
The Ducks will cover the spread if they can find some scoring from Vatrano, Terry, Carlsson, or Gauthier. Then, they need to defend well and prevent giving the Blues some easy shooting chances.
Why the Blues Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Blues are slightly better than the Ducks. Yet, they are dealing with the same inconsistency issues and a basic inability to score goals. Jordan Kyrou, Robert Thomas, and Dylan Holloway lead the offense and will be the main threats in this offense. Significantly, their ability to skate all over the ice makes them dangerous.
Fowler has performed well since his trade to the Blues, scoring four goals and nine assists over 18 games since coming over from Anaheim. Ultimately, he will be motivated to beat his former team as he faces guys he has spent a lot of time with.
Jordan Binnington is the starting goalie and comes in with a record of 11-15-3 with a 2.87 goals-against average and a save percentage of .896. Amazingly, he has done well against the Ducks, going 9-3-2 with a 2.35 goals-against average and a save percentage of .910 over 14 career battles with them.
Final Ducks-Blues Prediction & Pick
The Ducks are 28-12 against the spread, while the Blues are 24-18 against the odds. Moreover, the Ducks are 14-4 against the spread on the road, while the Blues are 9-9 against the odds at home. The Ducks are 12-26-2 against the over/under, while the Blues are 17-21-4 against the over/under.
Both teams are currently under the playoff line. However, the Ducks have continued to find ways to cover the spread all season, and I see that happening again.
Final Ducks-Blues Prediction & Pick: Ducks +1.5 (-158)
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