NHL Predictions: Panthers vs. Blues 2/20/17

Last Updated on February 20, 2017 7:37 pm by Brad Burns

Stastny should give Note a jolt

Over the weekend, St. Louis suffered an expected loss to one of the Eastern Conference’s bottom-feeders. Will Mike Yeo’s bunch regain its groove against the markedly better Panthers?

Scottrade Center serves as the backdrop for tonight’s battle, with an 8 p.m. ET opening draw in the Gateway City. Online sports book Bovada.lv gives the Blues odds of -135 to take care of business at home. Conversely, Florida represents a +115 underdog.

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On Saturday, Buffalo snapped the Note’s season-high six-game winning streak. There’s help on the way, though, in the form of Paul Stastny. The veteran center could return to the St. Louis lineup this evening after a multi-week absence due to a lower-body injury. Stastny boasts eight goals and nine assists in calendar year 2017.

Florida (27-20-10), meanwhile, aims to end a lengthy road trip on a positive note. Roberto Luongo & Co. just knocked off Los Angeles, 3-2, improving to 13-10-7 away from BT&T Center. The Panthers have captured seven of their last eight affairs, causing further congestion in the manic Atlantic Division.

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With Yeo behind the bench, the Blues (31-23-5) are certainly creating a stir in the West, too. Look for Stastny to provide even more balance shortly. Yet we respect Florida’s recent output enough to forecast a rather low-scoring affair in the Midwest.

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