St. Louis vs Chicago Prediction
📣 In another regular-season clash, the "Musicians" will face off against the "Blackhawks." Games featuring Central Division teams always draw significant interest from fans. We're confident there won't be a dull moment. Earlier in January, we recall the battle between the "Hawks" and the "Blues" during the NHL Winter Classic. At Wrigley Field, the teams combined to score 8 goals, ringing in the New Year with an unforgettable spectacle.
Head-to-Head
In last season's regular matchups, the "Musicians" and the "Hawks" faced off three times, with the Missouri side claiming victory in each encounter. During the preseason, the teams clashed sticks once more, exchanging away wins. In the first exhibition game, the "Musicians" took an early lead with goals from Dalibor Dvorsky and Brayden Schenn. However, inexperienced goalie Cranley, who replaced Binnington in the third period, conceded three goals, allowing the "Hawks" to secure a 4-2 victory. In the second exhibition clash, Thomas and his crew avenged their earlier loss to the Illinois squad with a commanding 4-0 win. On October 5th, the "Hawks" fielded a roster filled with AHL players and unsurprisingly fell short in every aspect of the game.
H2H Stats Matches and Previous Teams Results
St. Louis Blues Team Overview
The "Musicians" stumbled out of the gate this season, suffering a crushing 5-0 defeat at the hands of Kirill Kaprizov's Minnesota. The Missouri squad engaged in a physical battle and performed well in face-offs but were plagued by turnovers, conceding a goal in each period. In the wake of this home debacle, head coach Jim Montgomery and his staff drew some conclusions, leading to back-to-back victories over Calgary and Vancouver. The Canadian teams were outplayed by the "Musicians," who secured a combined score of 9-4. Youngsters Neighbours and Snuggerud shone brightly, tallying six points between them. It seems the team won't be able to rely on veteran defenseman Torey Krug this season due to issues with his left ankle. Forwards Sundqvist and Toropchenko, who could bolster the lower lines, are unlikely to aid the "Blues" in their upcoming clash with the "Hawks."
Match Results: St. Louis Blues
Chicago Blackhawks Team Overview
Jeff Blashill's squad secured their first victory of the season in a recent clash against Utah, winning 3-1. Former Toronto and Vancouver forward Ilya Mikheyev finally made his mark, netting two goals against the "Mammoths." Stanley Cup winner Andre Burakovsky also found the back of the net for his second goal of the season. Currently, Frank Nazar and Teuvo Teravainen lead the "Hawks" in scoring with five points each. Despite this win, Jeff Blashill has yet to meet the expectations set by the club's management. A team aiming for top positions cannot afford to lose three consecutive games by just one goal. On a positive note, center Jason Dickinson avoided a serious injury and was back in action against Utah. Forwards Lafferty and Reichel have seen limited ice time at the start of the season and aren't always making the lineup. The situation with defenseman Levshunov remains uncertain. Artem returned to the lineup on Monday, had two turnovers, but finished the game with a plus-one rating.
Match Results: Chicago Blackhawks
🏒 Projected Lineups
St. Louis: Binnington - Fowler, Parayko - Buchnevich, Thomas, Neighbours
Chicago: Knight - Vlasic, Rinzel - Colton Dach, Bedard, Burakovsky
🥅 Goaltenders
We anticipate that the experienced Jordan Binnington will start in goal for the Blues. Last season, the goaltender appeared in 56 games for the Missouri team and posted a goals-against average of 2.69. Although he struggled in the first game of the regular season, he rebounded by making 27 saves against Vancouver.
At 24, Spencer Knight recently joined the Blackhawks (after being traded from Florida, he played 15 games with a goals-against average of 3.18). In the current regular season, Knight has already played in three games and boasts a respectable goals-against average of 2.35.
Editorial Prediction
In the upcoming clash, we consider betting on a total over 5.5 goals. The "Hawks" and the "Musicians" have hit this total in six of their last ten head-to-head encounters. St. Louis had a brilliant road trip in Canada, gaining confidence after their setback against Minnesota. Neighbours and Snuggerud are poised to become the team's key stars in the near future. Bedard and Nazar, who carry high expectations in Illinois, should also make their mark, compensating with offensive play for Chicago's rather average defense in recent years.
Betting Tips: St. Louis Blues - Chicago Blackhawks
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