by Chuck Sommers
Saturday, Nov 19, 2022
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Venue: Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO
Where to watch: BSMW, BSSC
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Blues -230, Ducks +195
FanDuel: Blues -225, Ducks +195
BetMGM: Blues -227, Ducks +185
Caesars: Blues -225, Ducks +185
Season record
Ducks: 5-11-1 (11 points)
Blues: 8-8-0 (16 points)
What an electric start to the NHL season. So much parity, so many good teams through the first 10-plus games, you have every right to be excited! Of course the Vegas Golden Knights and Boston Bruins are heading the fun charge here as the top two teams in the league, because of course they are. But never count out the Avalanche, you know they're always going to be hanging around and will be eating worlds once they get everyone healthy. But this is a good time to be playing these hockey games, as well. Look no further than our own Doc's Sports on a 14-7-0 run over the first 30 days of the NHL season. There's also ASA, Inc. posting a 12-5-1 mark through the first month. You know you can trust our champion handicappers to get you across the finish line with your NHL bets. Check out our Best Bets page at bigal.com to see what we're throwing down!
Ducks - Blues preview, prediction and analysis
Recent results
Ducks: lost 3-2 at Jets on Thursday
Blues: won 5 straight; won 5-4 (SO) vs. Capitals on Thursday
Don’t look now, but reports of the St. Louis Blues’ demise have been greatly exaggerated. Five straight wins has pushed the Blues back to a .500 record, and they’ll look to keep that rolling Saturday at home when the Anaheim Ducks come to town.
Don’t look now, but reports of the St. Louis Blues’ demise have been greatly exaggerated. Five straight wins has pushed the Blues back to a .500 record, and they’ll look to keep that rolling Saturday at home when the Anaheim Ducks come to town.
It was just a little over a week ago when the Blues were looking awful after a 5-1 loss in Philadelphia and maybe people were calling for Craig Berube’s head. Five games later, including back-to-back 3-2 wins at Vegas and Colorado, the Blues have found their footing and look to be rolling at the right time.
The Blues are coming off a 5-4 shootout win over the Washington Capitals on Thursday thanks to a 47-save masterpiece from Thomas Greiss. Ryan O’Reilly has a four-game point streak after scoring a ridiculous goal, and Vladimir Tarasenko contributed to the cause with two assists. Not too shabby for a team that lost eight straight after opening with three wins.
"Get the monkey off [our] back, it's great to win at home," Greiss said. "It was fun. I don't know what it is [about facing a lot of shots this season], but it's just the way it goes. You've got to make the best of it."
Between that Greiss masterpiece and Jordan Binnington’s improvement over the last week or so, the Blues have been getting it right from every angle, whether it be from goaltending or goal scoring. O’Reilly had just two points on the year a few games ago, and now he’s starting to pick it up.
But Greiss needed to be at his best to give the Blues a chance, and he was just that.
"For sure," Berube said. "We were a little bit gassed [from being] on the road and coming back [after a 5-2 victory at the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday]. Got off to a good lead, which was important, but the goalie was excellent."
This is the perfect time to be getting a struggling Ducks team that’s lost four of five, the most recent being a 3-2 loss at the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday. While trying to understand that Kyle Connor was the eater of worlds that night, Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras got on the scoresheet but didn’t have enough to fall to 5-11-1.
"We played 59 good minutes," Zegras said involving Connor scoring the winning goal with 54 seconds remaining. "I make a bad play on the wall and miss my guy going to the front of the net and the game's over. I would say it's kind of on me."
Prediction
The schedule gods have played a favorable hand for the Blues and this is no exception. You never know what you’re going to get from the Ducks or John Gibson on a night where he starts, and I can’t help but think that we know what we’re getting from the Blues right now: Solid hockey with solid goaltending. This team made a good playoff run for a reason. Blues win 4-2
Betting trends
Blues are 137-90 off a 1-goal win at home since 1996.
Blues are 19-7 off a home win when scoring 4 goals or more the last two seasons.
Blues are 6-1 off a win in their last game this season.
Ducks are 361-332 after losing 2 of 3 since 1996.
Projected lines
Ducks:
Adam Henrique -- Trevor Zegras -- Troy Terry
Pavol Regenda -- Ryan Strome -- Frank Vatrano
Mason McTavish -- Isac Lundestrom -- Jakob Silfverberg
Max Comtois -- Sam Carrick -- Max Jones
Dmitry Kulikov -- John Klingberg
Simon Benoit -- Cam Fowler
Austin Strand -- Colton White
John Gibson
Adam Henrique -- Trevor Zegras -- Troy Terry
Pavol Regenda -- Ryan Strome -- Frank Vatrano
Mason McTavish -- Isac Lundestrom -- Jakob Silfverberg
Max Comtois -- Sam Carrick -- Max Jones
Dmitry Kulikov -- John Klingberg
Simon Benoit -- Cam Fowler
Austin Strand -- Colton White
John Gibson
Blues:
Pavel Buchnevich -- Robert Thomas -- Vladimir Tarasenko
Brandon Saad -- Ryan O'Reilly -- Josh Leivo
Ivan Barbashev -- Brayden Schenn -- Jordan Kyrou
Nikita Alexandrov -- Noel Acciari -- Tyler Pitlick
Nick Leddy -- Niko Mikkola
Torey Krug -- Justin Faulk
Calle Rosen -- Tyler Tucker
Jordan Binnington
Pavel Buchnevich -- Robert Thomas -- Vladimir Tarasenko
Brandon Saad -- Ryan O'Reilly -- Josh Leivo
Ivan Barbashev -- Brayden Schenn -- Jordan Kyrou
Nikita Alexandrov -- Noel Acciari -- Tyler Pitlick
Nick Leddy -- Niko Mikkola
Torey Krug -- Justin Faulk
Calle Rosen -- Tyler Tucker
Jordan Binnington
Statistical leaders
Ducks:
Points: Troy Terry -- 20
Goals: Trevor Zegras -- 8
Assists: Troy Terry -- 13
Goalie: John Gibson -- 3-9-1, 4.13 GAA, .893 SV%
Blues:
Points: Brayden Schenn -- 13
Goals: Jordan Kyrou -- 6
Assists: Vladimir Tarasenko -- 9
Goalie: Jordan Binnington --7-5-1, 2.98 GAA, .905 SV%
Don't miss our champion handicappers' free picks and expert hockey picks today. And if you enjoyed this Anaheim Ducks - St. Louis Blues prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our daily NHL projections and previews.
Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
