On Wednesday night TNT will get an earlier start time than what has normally been the case for them in the first three months of the season. Most importantly, TNT receives one of the best matchups possible at any time. The Pittsburgh Penguins have defied the experts who said they were too old and too thin on the roster. While the St. Louis Blues are fresh off one of the best Winter Classic showings of all time. St. Louis and Pittsburgh are two of the hottest teams in the NHL and printing money for very happy gamblers. But on Wednesday night, only one of these teams will send folks to the cashier’s cage!
The Pittsburgh Penguins will host the St. Louis Blues at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This game will take place on Wednesday, January 5, 2022, at 7:30 p.m. ET, with television coverage on TNT.
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Odds Analysis
St. Louis will be the preferred team of sharps. Wise Guys love nothing more than a quality away team based on the price break that such teams usually get, especially against power brands like the Penguins. The Blues will also draw some square money as a perennial contender and relatively recent (2019) Stanley Cup Champion.
Pittsburgh is one of the most public teams on the board, with a couple of recent Stanley Cup championships in their own right (2017 and 2018). The Penguins at home have long been one of the most popular plays with squares on the NHL board.
St. Louis Blues
St. Louis brings a record of 19-9-3-2 with 15-16 under the total. NHL metrics show the Blues ranked 5th for goal scoring, 3rd for power play efficiency, 11th for goals against, and 7th for penalty killing. St. Louis leads the Central Division. The Blues have gotten the money in seven of their last nine games. Only one of the previous seven St. Louis tilts cleared the total.
The Blues are fighting with the Nashville Predators and Vegas Golden Knights for the top spot in the Western Conference. Not much was expected from the Note this year, but the team seems re-focused for a Stanley Cup run after two lackluster playoff seasons.
A great irony for the Blues is that left wing Vladimir Tarasenko has been a key contributor after demanding a summer trade. Tarasenko leads the club with 14 goals, 19 assists, and a +3.
The Blues are 4-1 over the total in their most recent five matchups on the road. At Pittsburgh, the Blues are 6-2 vs. the odds. St. Louis is 6-1 over the total in their last seven games against Eastern Conference teams.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh brings a record of 20-6-7-1 with 18-14 over the total. NHL metrics show the Penguins ranked 15th for goal scoring, 27th for power play efficiency, 3rd for goals against, and 1st for penalty killing. Pittsburgh has paid in eight of its last nine matchups. Three of the Penguins' most recent five games went under the total.
Head coach Mike Sullivan has proven to be a perfect fit with the Penguins. This season, Sullivan has had to juggle the lineup because of frequent injuries and the pandemic. The experts have been proven wrong regarding the depth of the Penguins. And goaltender Tristan Jarry has been among the best in the NHL so far this season.
Pittsburgh has visited the payout window in five of its most recent six home games. The Penguins are 5-11 under the total against the Western Conference. Pittsburgh is 6-3 to the over against the Central Division.
St. Louis vs. Pittsburgh Prediction
St. Louis has tremendous momentum from the Winter Classic win at the Minnesota Wild. And they will get a good price in this spot.
BookMaker Pick: St. Louis Blues
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