Chicago Blackhawks vs St. Louis Blues Prediction 12-31-24 NHL Picks

In this article, we will formulate a Chicago Blackhawks vs St. Louis Blues Prediction for this NHL game on Tuesday, December 31st at Wrigley Field. Let’s take a look at a free St Louis Blues vs Chicago Blackhawks pick. 

It’s the Winter Classic and because of that the condition of the ice always needs to be considered. It’s expected to be rainy and 40 degrees which could have a major impact on the ice conditions. 

Blackhawks Are Struggling

All season has been a problem for the Blackhawks and they have lost four games in a row. Two games ago against the Buffalo Sabres, the Blackhawks were defeated 6-2 and in the last game and in the last game against the Dallas Stars they were defeated 5-1. Connor Bedard scored a goal, but that was the only offensive success they could find. Arvid Soderblom started in goal and he saved 30 of the 35 shots that he faced. 

The Blackhawks on the season are averaging 2.51 goals while their defense is giving up 3.32 goals per game. The offense is ranked 30th in the league while the defense is ranked 26th. They are averaging only 25.4 shots per game which is 30th in the league. Connor Bedard has scored 10 goals and added 22 assists so far this season. Petr Mrazek has a 7-13-1 record overall and he is giving up 3.09 goals per game. He has zero shutouts this season. 

Why the Blackhawks Will Beat the Blues

• The Blues have lost each of their last three games as favorites.
• The home team has won eight of the Blackhawks’ last nine games.
• The Blues have failed to cover the puck line in each of their last four games as road favorites.
• The underdogs have covered the puck line in 13 of the Blues’ last 16 games.
• The Blues have lost the second period in each of their last three games as favorites against Central Division opponents.

Can the Blues Bounce Back?

The Blues two games faced off against the Nashville Predators and they scored seven goals on the way to the victory. In the last game against the Buffalo Sabres, the Blues scored two goals, but the defense gave up four goals, and that led to the defeat. Colton Parakyo finished with two assists but it wasn’t enough. Jordan Binnington was in goal and he saved 12 of the 16 shots that he faced. The Blues on the season is averaging 2.61 goals while their defense is giving up 3.03 goals per game. 

The offense is ranked 28th in the league while the defense is ranked 14th. Jordan Kyrou has been the best player for the Blues and he has scored 15 goals and added 16 assists so far this season. Jordan Binnington is expected to get the start in this game and he’s going to need to be impressive here. 

Why the Blues Will Beat the Blackhawks

• The Blackhawks have lost each of their last four games.
• The Blues have won five of their last six games against the Blackhawks following a home loss.
• The Blues have covered the puck line in seven of their last eight games following a loss.
• The Blackhawks have failed to cover the puck line in four of their last five day games.
• The Blues have won the first period in five of their last six games following a loss.

Chicago Blackhawks vs St. Louis Blues Prediction

There are honestly better teams on board to bet. The Winter Classic is a fun game to watch, but it’s outdoors and with the weather, there has to be some question about the ice condition. That being said, I expect this game is going to end up being higher-scoring. Binnington is in goal for the Blues, and he was awful in this last game. This is a game that the Blackhawks should really break out with their offense. The Blues offense will have no issue running up the score, and this game will end up over the total. If you do bet this one, bet it small.