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Welcome back to another NHL Predictions here at Last Word On Hockey! Everyday we provide analysis, insights, and predictions for NHL games. Tonight, the Kraken from Seattle arrive to face the St. Louis Blues for the first time this season in a Western Conference showdown.
Time: 7:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
2024-2025 Season Series: St. Louis went 2-0-1
Earlier this week, both Seattle and St. Louis got a wake up call when the Kraken fell to San Jose and the Blues fell to the Capitals, both by a score of 6-1. The Blues seemed to turn things around with a 3-0 team win in Buffalo the following night. Seattle however, hasn’t played since they were run out of their own barn on Wednesday.
San Jose’s win in Seattle on Wednesday gave them their fourth win in their last six. Maybe the Kraken ran into a hot team at the wrong time. They looked to carry the play throughout most of the game and outshot the Sharks 30-23, holding them to only six attempts in the third period. Ultimately, three of those shots were early goals that went on to sink Seattle.
After being routed by the Caps on Wednesday, the Blues got into Western New York early Thursday morning. Most coaches give their players rest for the second day of a back-to-back, but not Blues head coach Jim Montgomery. He held his players accountable and made them work. The results were clear on the ice later that night, with Mathieu Joseph’s three points backstopped by a Joel Hofer shutout.
The Kraken have arguably been one of the more quiet, pleasant surprises this year. They come to St. Louis with a 6-3-4 record, sitting third in the Pacific Division. While they don’t showcase one superstar on a nightly basis, a huge reason for their resurgence early in the year is the play of goaltender Joey Daccord, who has gotten Seattle all but one of their 16 points.
Jaden Schwartz and Vince Dunn both return to St. Louis on Saturday. Dunn has solidified himself as a solid cornerstone of the Seattle defence, while Schwartz is tied for the team lead in points with ten.
Seattle wants to look past their disappointing result on Wednesday and start this small road trip on the right foot before taking on a consistently contending Dallas team tomorrow night.
Thursday night in Buffalo was the attitude check that the Blues were looking for. Joel Hofer made the big saves and the guys in front of him played for each other. They were keeping the Sabres players out of the crease, even after the whistle.
The names one would expect to see on the scorecard for the Blues were noticeably absent. In his right to hold the team accountable, coach Jim Montgomery applied the health scratch tag to forwards Oskar Sundqvist and Jordan Kyrou. Other notable names silent on the scoring front were, Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich.
In fact, there were only three names total that registered points for the Blues and it was the depth guys getting it done. Mathieu Joseph had a shorthanded goal plus two assists. Newcomer Nick Bjugstad also scored his fourth of the year, while Justin Faulk added a goal and assist.
We can technically say that St. Louis are winners in two of their last three, and that is how runs get started. In order for that to happen, they will need both goaltenders to make those key saves and for the top-six forwards to contribute just as much as the depth.
Seattle wants to get the bad taste of their last game out of their mouth. St. Louis wants to ride the momentum they built in Buffalo and bring it to home ice. There is a lot of potential for this to quietly be one of the better games on a packed Saturday night.
Goaltending is going to be key early in this one. Whichever team can grab an early lead and control the momentum will carry that through all 60 minutes.
Brandon Montour enters tonight with eight points in night games. The Blues forwards are going to have to keep Seattle’s defence from joining the rush if they want to hang around in this one.
Prediction: Seattle wins 3-2 (OT)
If we go off the board and Montour as an anytime scorer, he pays a whopping +550. Brayden Schenn is +275. If we combine those two, with the fact we are calling an overtime game, the payout is over +7100, get it.
Main Photo Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
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Matthew Barbier is a writer and subscriber for Last Word On Sports. His main focus revolves around covering news and information around the hockey world, from fantasy sports to specific teams and players. Matthew is also a public school teacher of over ten years, who has also published a self-help book and a set of children’s stories. He graduated from the University of Missouri in 2012 with a B.S. in K-12 Special Education, and then again in 2016 with a Master’s Degree in Mental Health Practices in Schools.
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