Detroit Red Wings vs St. Louis Blues Picks and Predictions December 23rd 2024

Detroit Red Wings vs St. Louis Blues December 23rd 2024

Making on a bet on this NHL game featuring the Blues versus the Red Wings? The puck drops at 7:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI. The over/under goal line for this matchup is currently at 5.5 goals, and the Red Wings are favored by -1.5 vs. the Blues.

St. Louis vs. Detroit Key Information

• Teams: Blues at Red Wings
• Where: Little Caesars Arena Detroit
• Date: Monday, December 23rd
• Betting Odds DET -113 | STL -106 O/U 5.5

The Blues Can Win If…

With a 4-2 win over the Maple Leafs, the Blues moved closer to .500, now sitting at 15-16-4. St. Louis covered the puck line as underdogs, with the total of 6 goals matching the pre-game line.

After trailing 1-0 in the first period, the Blues responded with four straight goals. Three different players found the net for St. Louis, with Colton Parayko leading the way with two goals.

Colton Parayko led the way for the Blues with his 2nd and 3rd goals of the season, adding a 5th goal on an empty net. He scored on both of his two shots on goal. Jordan Kyrou, who found the net for the 3rd time this season, added another goal for St. Louis. Pavel Buchnevich capped the scoring with his 4th goal, an empty-netter with 39 seconds left.

The Blues took 24 shots on goal and recorded 14 giveaways. After a scoreless first period, they scored three times in the second and added one more in the third.

Defensively, the Blues allowed the first goal just 5:25 into the first period and another late in the third, but they held the Maple Leafs scoreless in the second, leading to a 4-2 victory. Jordan Binnington made 35 saves with a 94.6% save percentage, while the defense recorded 3 takeaways and 17 hits.

• The Blues have gone 0-3 over their last three regular season games. Across these games, their puck line record was just 1-2, while posting an over-under record of 0-3.
• Over their last ten regular season games, the Blues have gone 4-6 straight up. In these contests, the team went just 6-4 against the spread, while going 3-7 on the over-under.

The Red Wings Can Win If…

With a 2-1 win over the Sabres, the Red Wings improved to 13-16-4. Detroit, favored by -1.5 goals, didn’t cover the puck line. The total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 3 fell well short.

After trailing in the first period, the Red Wings responded with two goals in the second. Dylan Larkin scored both, bringing the game to a tie at 12:11 in the second period.

Dylan Larkin netted both of Detroit’s goals in their 2-1 win over Buffalo, bringing his season total to 7 goals. Larkin scored at the 12:11 and 5:22 marks of the second period, with his first goal coming on a power play, followed by his second, also on a power play.

The Red Wings took 23 shots on goal but had 15 giveaways. Alex DeBrincat picked up his 4th assist of the season, while Lucas Raymond added his 10th assist on Larkin’s second goal. Patrick Kane was credited with his 6th assist on Larkin’s first goal.

Detroit’s defense gave up the first goal at 11:39 in the 1st period, but they didn’t allow another for the rest of the game, leading to a 2-1 win. Cam Talbot made 31 saves with a 96.9% save percentage, and the defense recorded 4 takeaways and 11 hits.

• Over their last three regular season games, the Red Wings have gone 1-2 straight up. The team’s record vs the puck line was just 1-2, in addition to an over-under mark of 2-1.
• Through their last ten regular season contests, Detroit has a record of 3-7. In these contests, the team went just 7-3 against the spread, while going 4-5-1 on the over-under.

The Lean

For a moneyline pick, I’m taking the Red Wings to pick up on a win over the Blues at home. With the moneyline sitting at -113, I’ll be locking in a bet on the Red Wings straight-up.

My recommended pick for the puck line is to take the Blues to cover. Even if the Red Wings win straight-up, this one should be close throughout and the Blues should cover the puck line.

With an over/under line sitting at 5.5 goals, we like this game to surpass that mark and recommend getting a bet down on the over.

Red Wings and Blues Clash in Battle of Struggling Teams

The Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues, both in the midst of challenging seasons, face off Monday night in Detroit with hopes of reversing their fortunes.

Red Wings Facing Mounting Pressure

The Detroit Red Wings (13-16-4) have the second-fewest points in the Eastern Conference (30) and are coming off back-to-back losses to the Montreal Canadiens. With speculation swirling about head coach Derek Lalonde’s job security, the team must find answers quickly.

Lalonde acknowledged the pressures of coaching but emphasized staying focused on immediate tasks.

“It really doesn’t bother me,” Lalonde said. “You stay in the moment and worry about Monday.”

Detroit’s power play, once a strong point, has faltered significantly. Over the past nine games, the Red Wings have scored just two power-play goals on 25 opportunities, including an 0-for-8 performance in the two-game series against Montreal.

“Our margin of error is very thin,” Lalonde said. “If we’re not getting quality play from our special teams, it puts so much more on all of us.”

Forward Joe Veleno, who has scored in three straight games, emphasized the importance of capitalizing on divisional matchups.

“We’ve got to realize how crucial these division points are,” Veleno said. “It’s a four-point weekend that we just let slip away.”

Blues Struggling to Find Offense

The St. Louis Blues (12-14-5) have also hit a rough patch, losing five of their last six games (1-3-2). After a midseason coaching change, the team’s offensive woes persist, ranking 30th in the NHL with 2.46 goals per game.

Since Jim Montgomery replaced Drew Bannister in late November, the Blues have shown flashes of improvement but remain inconsistent.

On Friday, St. Louis fell 2-1 in overtime to the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in a closely contested game.

“As we know, they are a dominant team in this league,” Montgomery said. “It’s hard when you lose, especially when we had puck possession for much of the overtime.”

St. Louis has scored just one goal in each of its last three games, all against strong Eastern Conference opponents—New Jersey, Tampa Bay, and Florida.

“I think we took a big step as a group,” said forward Oskar Sundqvist. “It could have gone either way.”

Key Matchup

The Red Wings’ sputtering special teams will clash with the Blues’ inability to generate consistent offense. For Detroit, solving its power play and limiting mistakes will be critical to snapping its skid.

For St. Louis, finding ways to create scoring opportunities and converting on high-danger chances will be key to overcoming its recent scoring drought.

Players to Watch

• Joe Veleno (Red Wings): Riding a three-game goal streak, Veleno has been a bright spot amid Detroit’s struggles.
• Robby Fabbri (Red Wings): The former Blues forward will look to make an impact against his former team.
• Oskar Sundqvist (Blues): Sundqvist’s leadership and two-way play could be pivotal in a game expected to be tightly contested.
• Jordan Kyrou (Blues): As one of the Blues’ top offensive talents, Kyrou will need to step up to spark St. Louis’ attack.

Discover detailed insights in NHL Atlantic Division Odds & Predictions.

Outlook

Both teams are desperate for a win to break out of their respective slumps. With both clubs struggling to generate consistent offense, expect a low-scoring, tightly contested game. The winner will gain much-needed momentum heading into the remainder of the season.