The St. Louis Blues will battle the Anaheim Ducks in a showdown between two playoff hopefuls at Honda Center. This will be a pivotal Western Conference showdown as we continue our NHL odds series and make a Blues-Ducks prediction and pick.
The Blues lead the head-to-head series 56-53. Moreover, they have a 6-2 win over the Ducks at the Enterprise Center. This game pits two playoff hopefuls and will be the first game back in Anaheim since the Ducks traded Cam Fowler to the Blues. Remarkably, the Blues have won 13 games in a row at Honda Center and have not lost in Anaheim since March 15, 2017.
Here are the Blues-Ducks NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Blues-Ducks Odds
St. Louis Blues: -1.5 (+176)
Moneyline: -142
Anaheim Ducks: +1.5 (-220)
Moneyline: +118
Over: 5.5 (-110)
Under: 5.5 (-112)
How To Watch Blues vs Ducks
Time: 10 PM ET/7 PM PT
TV: ESPN+, KCOP and FanDuel Sports Missouri
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Blues Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Blues are in the middle of a West Coast road trip, with a game in Anaheim sandwiched between two games in Los Angeles. Well, they already beat the LA Kings 3-2 on Wednesday in a shootout, playing a tough style that prevented the Kings from making any moves on the ice.
The Blues look to replicate that style, as well as find the same puck luck that helped them blast the Ducks in the first match. Significantly, they exploded for four goals in the first period and never looked back. The Blues certainly have the playmakers to make that happen, as Jordan Kyrou, Robert Thomas, and Dylan Holloway are all young stars in the making. Unsurprisingly, they all contributed to the 6-2 win, with Kyrou getting a goal and an assist, Thomas netting two goals, and Holloway converting a shot into a goal.
The Blues also controlled the puck, winning 54 percent of the faceoffs. Likewise, they fired 34 shots on the net. The only blemish for the Blues was their inability to convert on the one powerplay.
Jordan Binnington is still here despite being linked to the Edmonton Oilers. Ultimately, he did not play against the Ducks last time but will likely get the start in this game. He will play behind a defense that had 28 hits and blocked 17 shots. Significantly, strong defense has been the key to any success the Blues have had this season, and they will need to follow some fast Anaheim skaters.
The Blues will cover the spread if they can get off to a hot start and put the Ducks on their heels. Then, the defense cannot allow the Ducks to get any shots in.
Why the Ducks Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Ducks are a maddening team. In the last week alone, they have lost to the Buffalo Sabres, defeated the Vancouver Canucks, lost to the Chicago Blackhawks, and blasted the Edmonton Oilers before falling short in the rematch with the Canucks. Unfortunately, the inconsistency is hurting their slim playoff chances. But now, they must contend with a team that destroyed them last time and has had their number for years.
The Ducks must find their footing early. They played flat-footed in the last game and cannot afford to do that this time around. Significantly, Trevor Zegras did not play last time around and will be a critical factor in this one. Zegras slots on the wing next to Leo Carlsson and Alex Killorn on the second line. Meanwhile, Frank Vatrano is another sniper who can do some serious damage and slots in with Ryan Strome and Troy Terry on the first line. However, the line to watch is the “Kid Line”, a third line consisting of Cutter Gauthier, Mason McTavish, and Sam Colangelo. That line produced multiple goals against the Oilers.
John Gibson is hurt again and likely will not be traded. The good news is that Lukas Dostal has been stellar all season and will be ready to go for the Ducks.
The Ducks will cover the spread if they can get some pucks to the net. Then, they must avoid taking penalties and not allow the Blues to get easy room to maneuver.
Final Blues-Ducks Prediction & Pick
The Blues are 36-27 against the spread, while the Ducks are 42-19 against the spread. Moreover, the Blues are 18-12 against the spread on the road, while the Ducks are 19-10 against the spread at home. The Blues are 26-33-4 against the over/under, while the Ducks are 22-37-2 against the over/under.
The Blues have owned the Ducks. However, these Ducks are slightly different and will have more pep in their step. I think this will be where the losing streak against the Blues at home ends, with the Ducks flying high while covering the spread.
Final Blues-Ducks Prediction & Pick: Ducks +1.5 (-220)
The post Blues vs. Ducks prediction, odds, pick – 3/7/2025 appeared first on ClutchPoints.
