St. Louis Blues vs Boston Bruins Picks and Predictions November 12th 2024

Bruins and Blues Face Off, Both Seeking Solutions to Offensive Struggles

The Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues will face each other on Tuesday night, both teams desperately searching for answers to their recent struggles, particularly on offense and the power play. With both squads struggling to find consistency, this matchup is shaping up to be a test of resilience.

Bruins Searching for Their Mojo

At 7-7-2, the Bruins have had an uneven start to the season, leaving coach Jim Montgomery scratching his head. After a 3-2 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, where the Bruins were outshot 12-0 in the third period, Montgomery was candid about his frustrations.

“We’ll look at what we’re doing sports science-wise, but we’ll come up with answers,” Montgomery said. “Right now, I don’t have an answer for you.”

The Bruins’ captain, Brad Marchand, echoed his coach’s concerns, emphasizing that the team is too reactive on the ice. “Sometimes when you lack confidence or you’re overthinking, your execution is slow,” Marchand noted. “We need to get out of our heads. Stop thinking and start playing. It comes down to will and compete at this point.”

Offensively, the Bruins have been among the league’s worst, averaging just 2.5 goals per game. Their power play is also struggling, converting at a dismal 12.5% rate, which ranks near the bottom of the NHL.

Blues Dealing with Injuries and Inconsistency

If the Bruins are frustrated, the Blues are downright reeling. St. Louis has been hit hard by injuries, with key players like top center Robert Thomas and defensemen Philip Broberg and Nick Leddy sidelined. This has contributed to their lackluster 7-8-0 record.

The Blues’ power play has been even worse than Boston’s, converting at just 10.8%. Their offensive woes were painfully evident in their recent 8-1 blowout loss to the Washington Capitals on Saturday—a game in which they allowed five goals in the third period alone.

Captain Brayden Schenn didn’t sugarcoat the team’s performance: “You can’t sugarcoat it when you let in eight. It’s just absolutely unacceptable.”

This wasn’t the first time the Blues suffered an 8-1 loss this season. After a similar drubbing by Ottawa on October 29, they managed to win two of their next three games, allowing just two goals per game during that stretch. But consistency remains elusive.

Coach Drew Bannister acknowledged the team’s inconsistency, saying, “We bounce back with some good efforts but we haven’t been able to sustain it. We have to be able to sustain playing better hockey. We can’t take one or two steps forward and then keep taking these steps back.”

Key Matchup: Power Play vs. Penalty Kill

Both teams will need to focus on special teams to get back on track. The Bruins, despite their offensive struggles, have an opportunity to exploit the Blues’ weak penalty kill. However, Boston’s own power play has been ineffective, which could neutralize any advantage they might have.

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The Blues, meanwhile, need to figure out how to generate offense without their top playmakers. If they can regain some consistency and take advantage of Boston’s vulnerable defense in the third period, they could get back in the win column.

Which Team Will Break Out of Their Slump?

This game is crucial for both teams as they try to turn around their seasons. For the Bruins, it’s about regaining confidence and finding their offensive rhythm. For the Blues, it’s about stabilizing a shaky defense and getting back to basics despite their injury woes.

Will Boston finally figure out their power play issues and take control, or will St. Louis bounce back from another embarrassing loss and find a way to sustain a full 60-minute effort? One thing’s for sure: both teams are hungry for a win, and Tuesday’s matchup could be the turning point they desperately need.