Welcome to a Saturday night edition of NHL Predictions! Super Bowl LIX may not be until tomorrow, but we have plenty of hockey to enjoy until then. The NHL has 14 games to enjoy, and Last Word On Hockey will take you around the league and highlight key matchups. This installment takes us to “Hockey Night in St. Louis.” For just the second time this season, the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks go head-to-head and continue their historic rivalry.
NHL Predictions
St. Louis Blues vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Time: 7:00 P.M. Eastern Time
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Midwest, Chicago Sports Network
Head-to-Head: Blues Lead 1-0
The Blues and Blackhawks met on New Year’s Eve at Wrigley Field for the 2025 Winter Classic. Behind two goals from defenceman Cam Fowler, the Blue Note won again outdoors, 6-2. After renewing the rivalry outside, the two teams return indoors.
Blues Coming Off Loss in Final Seconds
The Blues played a decent game against the Florida Panthers on Thursday. Joel Hofer stopped 31 shots for the Blues. Youngster Zachary Bolduc scored a goal and an assist. The team was 11 seconds away from a point against the defending champions. However, Matthew Tkachuk happened. The St. Louis native scored with 11 seconds left to break the tie and give the Panthers the win in regulation.
It might be fair to say the Stanley Cup Playoffs are not in the team’s future this year. In fact, their captain may be on the way out via trade. Regardless, the team wants to find ways to get results on the ice. After Saturday, the Blues will not be in action again until February 22nd. While some players will play in the 4 Nations Face-Off between now and then, the team will not practice together. Saturday is the last opportunity for the Blues to play a strong game and pick up two points until later in the month. At this point, it is about pride. Will the Blues go into the break on a downward slide? Or will they go into the break with some momentum after beating a division rival? Retool, rebuild, or contender; beating a division rival is always fun.
Blackhawks Flirting with Another Lottery Win
There are some who think the Blackhawks lottery win in 2023 was orchestrated so Connor Bedard would join the team just months after Patrick Kane and Johnathan Toews left the team. Think what you will about that. However, there is no question the team could end up with the first-overall pick again this summer. They do not have the worst hockey record, but they fly into St. Louis with the second-worst. There is still some hockey left, but another first-overall pick in two seasons is possible.
Between now and then, the Blackhawks will look for additional ways to improve the team. Of course, after the lackluster return in the Taylor Hall trade, fans may not be too optimistic about future trades. That being said, the team does have pieces it could move before the deadline.
Prediction
We are going to make this simple. After embarrassing the Blackhawks in front of their own fans, the Blues will do it again on their ice on Saturday. They will head into the break on a positive note.
Blues win, 6-1.
Prop Bets
The over/under is set at 5.5 goals. We are taking the over with seven goals.
For anytime-scorers, we are taking defenceman Alex Vlasic for the Blackhawks. As for the Blues, we are picking forward Nathan Walker. Due to Walker’s physical presence, we may even see a good-old “Gordie Howe hat trick” from Walker.
Main Photo: Daniel Bartel- Imagn Images
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