Cruising Blues to burn Flames?
St. Louis’ wild, wacky and thoroughly satisfying show hits the road tonight with a 9 p.m. ET engagement in Calgary.
Online sports book Bovada.lv anticipates continued offensive fireworks from Ken Hitchcock’s club, giving the Blues odds of -165 to prevail in the Great White North. The scuffling host team has a money line of +145 to upend those Central Division co-leaders.
Vladimir Tarasenko, the NHL’s “First Star” for the week ending March 13, and his cohorts enjoy said perch after sweeping a schizophrenic-but-impressive four-game stretch. The Note downed Minnesota last Sunday, nipped defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago in a shootout on Wednesday, whipped Anaheim on Friday and staved off Dallas in overtime on Saturday.
That final victory truly encapsulated St. Louis’ recent play. The Blues squandered yet another third-period lead before vanquishing the Stars in the extra session and matching them with 91 points.
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Calgary figures to provide considerably less resistance. Mired in the Pacific Division’s basement, the Flames have allowed 3.7 goals per game while dropping 12 of 15. Even reliable defenseman Dennis Wideman’s return from a lengthy suspension failed to reverse the bad juju along the blue line.
All signs thus point to a cupcake matchup for Tarasenko, who boasts three tallies and six assists over his last three contests. Put the money on the Blues to triumph, handily, in the newest chapter of this lopsided series.
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