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Senators vs Blues Betting Preview
Brady Tkachuk’s return comes at the right time for Ottawa. The captain missed 21 games with a thumb injury but expects to play Friday in his hometown. Ottawa stayed competitive without him and earned six of eight available points on their current road trip. They sit second in the Atlantic after a 10-3-3 surge.
Ottawa leaned heavily on its top forwards in Wednesday’s 4-3 shootout win in Vegas. Jake Sanderson produced a goal and two assists. Tim Stützle, Shane Pinto, Claude Giroux and Drake Batherson all logged more than 20 minutes. Their pace dipped in the middle frame, but their structure held late.
Travis Green wants deeper rotation, especially for the fourth line, to preserve energy on long trips.
St. Louis returns home after a 1-1-3 Eastern road swing. They tightened their play and earned points in nine of their last 12 games but continue to struggle finishing in overtime. Their 3-5-4 home record reflects inconsistency. They lost 3-2 in overtime to the Devils on Wednesday, adding to their seven OT or shootout losses.
Robert Thomas wants his group to start converting close games into wins.
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Line Movement and Odds
Senators -110, Blues -109
Total: 5.5 (over -117, under -105)
You can track all movement on the NHL odds page.
Matchup Breakdown
Ottawa overview
Ottawa’s structure held strong in Vegas. Sanderson drove play. Giroux distributed well. Ullmark delivered 32 saves. Their power play remains a weapon with 17 goals, ranking sixth. Their 73 goals place them in the top 10 league-wide.
Stützle leads with 23 points. Batherson sits close behind at 21. Their lineup remains deep even before Tkachuk returns. Their transition speed can pressure the Blues’ coverage, especially at five-on-five.
Ottawa’s path centers on attacking St. Louis early and forcing the Blues to chase.
St. Louis overview
St. Louis improved its compete level on its long road trip. Binnington provided stability. Cam Fowler stepped up with a goal and an assist in the OT loss to New Jersey. Their physical edge remains strong with a top-six hit rate. Their power play ranks ninth with 14 goals.
Their issue remains converting chances. Their home record sits at 3-5-4. Their seven OT or shootout losses show their inability to close tight games. Their finish around the net must sharpen.
St. Louis needs early zone time and power-play chances to offset Ottawa’s transition game.
Find team data on the St. Louis Blues page.
Injuries
Senators
- Thomas Chabot — Questionable, upper body
- Ridly Greig — Questionable, undisclosed
- Brady Tkachuk — Out, thumb
Full roster info on the Ottawa Senators page.
Blues
- Zach Dean — Out, personal
- Torey Krug — Out, ankle
Betting Trends
- Senators 7-3 SU in last 10
- Blues 70% puckline record as underdogs
- Senators 66.7% puckline record as underdogs
- Blues 0-5 O/U last five
- Senators 0-3 O/U last three
- Blues 3-2 SU last five
Latest Betting Trends
Ottawa’s totals trend under recently, but both offenses generate enough high-danger chances to break through. St. Louis’ OT track record signals tight games, but their defensive breakdowns appear late in periods. Ottawa’s power play holds a clear advantage.
Sharp bettors can compare these trend angles across the NHL picks page.
Best Bets and Prediction
Ottawa carries better pace, deeper scoring and a stable power play. St. Louis leans on Binnington too often and continues to struggle closing games. With Tkachuk likely returning, Ottawa gains an emotional and physical lift.
Projected score: Senators 4, Blues 3
Best Bet: Senators -110
Total Lean: Over 5.5
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