Coyotes vs Blues NHL Line & Handicapping
Hot Western Conference Teams Battle in Tuesday Night Litmus Test – Coyotes Visit Blues
Two of the more impressive teams in the NHL the Phoenix Coyotes and the St. Louis Blues clash on a busy night of NHL action Tuesday. Both teams have won six of their last seven games heading into the Tuesday showdown and both have shown balance and depth up and down the lineups.
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Phoenix (12-4-1-1) at St. Louis (11-2-1-1)
When: 8:00 PM ET, Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Where: Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Missouri
Broadcast: NBCSN
Coyotes vs. Blues Betting Lines from betonline.com
Phoenix Coyotes +148 Ov 5½ +110
St Louis Blues -163 Un 5½ -121
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A win Tuesday night will go a long way in determining whether or not these teams are for real.
How good have the Phoenix Coyotes been this year? Goaltending has been a big part of the equation as always – Mike Smith has won five of his past six starts for the Coyotes and is 9-1-2 over his past dozen decisions. On the year Smith has a 2.87 GAA and .915 save percentage – he is in the mix to be on Canada’s Olympic team and rightfully so.
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As good as Smith has been, the Phoenix offense has exceeded expectation this year averaging 3.11 goals per game. Phoenix has been led by their Captain Shane Doan who looks as dangerous as anyone in the game right now. Doan has six goals and an assist over his last six games and the Coyotes defense has been the best unit in terms of offense in the game so far this year. Keith Yandl has 14 points and Oliver Ekman-Larsson has 13 meaning that teams have to account for the forwards and the D-men in the offensive zone.
From the goaltender out the Coyotes are a tough out and hot over the last couple of weeks – 8-2-0 in their last 10 games.
The St. Louis Blues are equally, if not tougher to play night-in and night-out. They are big, physical and skilled as any team in the West right now. They ride a three game win streak into Tuesday night’s game and have lost just once in regulation in their last 12 games overall.
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The Blues are fifth in goals per game (3.33) and sixth in goals-against average (2.20) entering Tuesday and they are fourth in the NHL on the power play which could reasonably be the difference against Phoenix’s sixth worst PK. This team has no holes and has been very good at exploiting other teams’ weaknesses.
The Blues have been led offensively by an unlikely source. Alex Steen is tied for fourth in the NHL with 21 points, with 13 during a 10-game streak. He has 10 goals in that span for St. Louis as well. Steen is as hot as any player in the NHL – a nice surprise for an up-and-coming team.
Jaroslav Halak will get the start Tuesday – he has won four of his past five starts, allowing two goals or fewer in each victory.
NHL Betting Prediction
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A few trends to consider:
• Over is 7-3 in PHO last 10 overall.
• PHO are 9-19 in their last 28 road games.
• Under is 8-2-1 in STL last 11 vs. Pacific.
• Under is 22-6-4 in STL last 32 Tue. games.
• Under is 20-7-3 in STL last 30 home games.
• Under is 4-1-3 in the last 8 meetings.
Phoenix is only a .500 team on the road this year while the Blues have lost just once in regulation in 10 games this year. Home ice advantage and Phoenix’s inability to limit the oppositions’ power play look like the difference in this game to me. Phoenix is a good team but the Blues appear to be in a slightly different class.
Pick: St. Louis Blues -163
