Blues vs. Blackhawks prediction, odds, pick – 12/31/2024
12/30/2024 02:56 PM
The St. Louis Blues will face the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday for the 16th Annual Winter Classic. It will be wild at Wrigley Field as we share our Winter Classic odds series and make a Blues-Blackhawks prediction and pick.
The Blues are 50-45 against the Blackhawks over the past 95 games. This will be the first time the Blues play the Blackhawks this season. Significantly, the Blues are 8-2 over the past 10 games against the Blackhawks. This will be the first time the Blues play in the Winter Classic, while the Blackhawks are playing in their fifth (0-5) Winter Classic event.
Here are the Blues-Blackhawks Winter Classic odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
Winter Classic Odds: Blues-Blackhawks Odds
St. Louis Blues: -1.5 (+180)
Moneyline: -146
Chicago Blackhawks: +1.5 (-225)
Moneyline: +122
Over: 5.5 (-108)
Under: 5.5 (-112)
How To Watch Blues vs Blackhawks
Time: 5 PM ET/2 PM PT
TV: TNT, truTV and MAX
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Blues Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Blues recently acquired Cam Fowler to save a dwindling season. So far, it’s produced mixed results for the Blues, as they continue to hang outside of the playoff picture, trailing the Vancouver Canucks by four points for the final wildcard spot. However, they might add more pieces soon and are contenders to acquire Chris Kreider in a trade to help further boost their chances of making a playoff run.
This relatively young team is still picking up the pieces after stumbling down the hill, just five years removed from winning the Stanley Cup. Yet, Robert Thomas has been amazing on the first line with Pavel Buchnevich, while Dylan Holloway and Jordan Kyrou have thrived on the second. Not surprisingly, the Blues lost to the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday when neither of these lines could produce. Their performances often determine the success and failure of the Blues, especially when the other two lines are not holding their weight.
Stanley Cup champion Jordan Binnington is still around, guarding the net. He is 9-14-3 with a 2.93 goals-against average and a save percentage of .895. While he has not played anywhere close to the guy who led this team to a Stanley Cup title, he is still more than capable of stealing a game, as evidenced by his two shutouts this season. Binnington played behind a defense that is 19th in goals against and 27th on the penalty kill. Ultimately, the five-on-five defense is average, or merely slightly better, while it struggles when they are at a disadvantage.
The Blues will cover the spread if their top two lines can find their footing and create some scoring chances. Then, they must avoid taking penalties to put themselves in a hole.
Why the Blackhawks Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Blackhawks are getting ready to skate outdoors in this one, hoping to win a long-time rivalry in front of the friendly confines of Wrigley Field. However, if they want to prevent this game from going the route of the typical St. Louis Cardinals-Chicago Cubs game, the Hawks must figure out ways to create more offense.
Connor Bedard continues to set records and is one of the few bright spots in Chicago. Unfortunately, it’s been another painful season for the Hawks in the Windy City, affecting him continually. Bedard comes into this game with 10 goals and 22 assists. He is on a pace for 70 points, which would shatter his rookie season marks. But even Bedard needs help, and that means Tyler Bertuzzi and Taylor Hall must figure things out while finding Bedard near the front of the net.
The Hawks also need the second lines to show up. Nick Foligno, Frank Nazar, and Ryan Donato flank the second line and will be facing off with the Kyrou-Holloway line. Ultimately, they must win the loose battles and gain possession.
Petr Mrazek likely will guard the net and comes in with a record of 7-13-1 with a 3.09 goals-against average and a save percentage of .897. He will play behind a defense that is 26th in goals against and third on the penalty kill.
The Blackhawks will cover the spread if they can win the loose puck battles and figure out a way to dominate possession. Then, their defense must prevent the Blues from getting too many chances.
Final Blues-Blackhawks Prediction & Pick
The Blues are 22-16 against the spread, while the Blackhawks are 18-19 against the odds. Moreover, the Blues are 14-7 against the spread on the road, while the Hawks are 8-8 against the odds at home. The Blues are 14-20-4 against the over/under, while the Blackhawks are 14-19-4 against the over/under.
The Winter Classic is always fun; this one will have relatively mild weather. But the charm of Wrigley Field will wear off quickly as the Blues skate into Chicago and do enough to cover the spread.
Final Blues-Blackhawks Prediction & Pick: Blues -1.5 (+180)
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