NHL Free Pick: St. Louis Blues vs Montreal Canadiens
Hockey betting fans sure are getting their money’s worth from the free nhl picks we give out here at Capperspicks.com.
Team records:
St. Louis: 21-20-7
Montreal: 23-23-4
Tonight, 7:30 p.m. ET
Sportsbook odds: Blues +110, Canadiens -130
After blossoming last season, the 2009-10 St. Louis Blues are a tough team to figure out. They’re above average defensively – how could you not be with Erik Johnson in your lineup every night? – but scoring remains a problem. Simply put, the Blues lack a true first-line scorer. Brad Boyes is a second-line talent and guys like Patrick Berglund and David Perron aren’t ready to make the next leap yet. Still, largely on the strength of Chris Mason’s outstanding recent work in goal, the Blues have won four of five.
The Blues take their 12-6-4 road record and No. 4 penalty kill to Montreal tonight; the Habs have the league’s No. 2 power play so the special teams matchup should be intriguing. 
Montreal is reeling at the moment, having lost five of seven in January. It’s clear it doesn’t have the horses to make a serious playoff run this year and Bob Gainey likely has a major roster reset ahead, assuming he retains his GM job at all. Offense, or lack thereof, continues to plague the Habs. Just once in January have they topped two goals in a game.
Though we can never underestimate the Bell Center’s raucous crowd atmosphere, there’s no denying that this matchup favors the Blues. Even though Ty Conklin could get the start tonight, his .920 save percentage suggests he’s hardly a downgrade from Mason. Go with St. Louis.
NHL Betting Trends:
St. Louis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of St. Louis’s last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of St. Louis’s last 9 games when playing on the road against Montreal
The total has gone OVER in 8 of St. Louis’s last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Montreal’s last 9 games when playing at home against St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Montreal’s last 6 games at home
Montreal is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Montreal is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games at home
Pick: Blues +110
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Shea Matthews lives and breathes sports. He made the transition from athlete to sports journalist at a young age, writing in TV & national newspapers. He now applies his knowledge to sports betting and handicapping every day, and shares his winning picks with the world.
