Tampa Bay Lightning vs St. Louis Blues Picks and Predictions December 19th 2024

Blues Playing Better Under Jim Montgomery, Face Lightning

The St. Louis Blues, reinvigorated under new head coach Jim Montgomery, take on the red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning in a challenging road matchup.

Blues Improving Under Jim Montgomery

Since Jim Montgomery took over as head coach of the St. Louis Blues on Nov. 24, the team has shown significant improvement. The Blues started the season 9-12-1 under former coach Drew Bannister but have posted a 6-3-2 record since Montgomery’s arrival.

Montgomery, who won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s top coach in 2022-23, has brought a positive, disciplined approach to the Blues. He immediately saw the potential in the roster.

“I saw the plays we were making and the speed of our skilled plays,” Montgomery said after his first game as head coach, a 5-2 win over the New York Rangers. “It wasn’t just one line; it was four lines working together.”

The Blues have seen a boost in offensive production, increasing their average goals per game from 2.36 under Bannister to 2.90 under Montgomery. Goaltending has also been solid. Jordan Binnington has set a franchise record for wins by a St. Louis goalie, while Joel Hofer has been impressive in his 10 starts.

On offense, Jordan Kyrou leads the team with 28 points (14 goals, 14 assists), supported by Robert Thomas (23 points) and Pavel Buchnevich (21 points). Despite a 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, the Blues are optimistic about their ability to compete against a strong Lightning squad.

Lightning Surging Behind Offensive Firepower

The Tampa Bay Lightning come into Thursday’s game riding a three-game winning streak. They’ve been led by standout performances from top-line winger Jake Guentzel and the ever-reliable Nikita Kucherov.

Guentzel has been on fire, scoring in seven consecutive games, the NHL’s longest streak this season. Playing alongside center Brayden Point and Kucherov, Guentzel has quickly become a key piece of Tampa Bay’s potent offense.

Coach Jon Cooper praised forward Nick Paul for his all-around contributions in Tuesday’s 5-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Paul matched his career high with three points (one goal, two assists) and was lauded as the team’s best player that night.

Kucherov, meanwhile, extended his point streak to eight games (three goals, 15 assists), while Point’s streak now stands at six games (five goals, 11 assists). This offensive depth makes Tampa Bay a formidable opponent for the visiting Blues.

Key Matchup: Blues Defense vs. Lightning Offense

Thursday’s game presents a classic showdown: the Blues’ emerging defensive structure under Montgomery against the high-powered Lightning offense. For St. Louis, limiting opportunities for Guentzel, Point, and Kucherov will be critical.

Meanwhile, Tampa Bay must stay disciplined against a St. Louis team that has shown resilience and improved scoring under their new coach. Special teams could also play a pivotal role, with both squads boasting capable power plays.

The Blues will look to build on their progress and establish consistency as they start a three-game road trip, while the Lightning aim to extend their winning streak to four games and continue their offensive dominance.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs St. Louis Blues December 19th 2024

Betting on today’s Blues and Lightning game? Catch the action at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL, as the Lightning hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this game is set at 6 goals, and the Lightning are favored by -1.5 vs. the Blues in a non-conference matchup.

St. Louis vs. Tampa Bay Key Information

• Teams: Blues at Lightning
• Where: Amalie Arena Tampa
• Date: Thursday, December 19th
• Betting Odds TB -211 | STL +176 O/U 6

The Blues Can Win If…

St. Louis evened their record at 15-15-3 with a 4-2 road win over the Maple Leafs. The Blues covered the puck line as underdogs, with the total line of 6 goals resulting in a push.

After falling behind in the first period, the Blues scored four unanswered goals to take control. Three different players found the net for St. Louis, with Colton Parayko leading the way with two goals.

Colton Parayko led the way for the Blues with two goals, including his third of the season. He also picked up his fifth assist on Pavel Buchnevich’s empty-netter, which was Buchnevich’s fourth goal of the year. Jordan Kyrou added his third goal in the second period.

After a scoreless first period, the Blues netted three goals in the second, with Parayko’s second goal coming at the 7:27 mark. St. Louis took 24 shots on goal and recorded 14 giveaways.

Defensively, the Blues allowed the first goal just 5:25 into the game and another late in the 3rd period, but they kept the Maple Leafs off the board otherwise. Jordan Binnington made 35 saves with a 94.6% save percentage. The defense also contributed 3 takeaways and 17 hits.

• Over their last three regular season games, the Blues have gone 1-2 straight up. Against the spread, they have a strong mark of 2-1 along with an over-under record of 0-3.
• Through their last ten regular season contests, St. Louis has a record of 5-5. Across these games, their puck line record was just 6-4, while posting an over-under record of 3-7.

The Lightning Can Win If…

Tampa Bay’s 7-4 loss to the Jets moved the Lightning to 17-10-2 this season. The Lightning were underdogs on the puck line, and the total of 11 goals easily surpassed the pre-game line of 6.5 goals.

The Lightning jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, but the Jets responded with seven of the next nine goals. Four different Lightning players scored in the game.

Brandon Hagel opened the scoring for Tampa Bay with his 7th goal of the season, while Brayden Point followed with his 8th, which came on a power play. Mitchell Chaffee added his 4th goal, and Nikita Kucherov netted his 10th in the 3rd period.

The Lightning took 30 shots on goal and recorded 8 giveaways. They scored twice in the 1st period, added a 3rd goal in the 2nd, and tied the game 4-4 with 13:09 left in the 3rd period.

Tampa Bay’s defense struggled late, giving up three goals in the third period, including two empty-netters, leading to a 7-4 loss to the Jets. Goalie Jonas Johansson made 27 saves with a save percentage of 84.4%.

• Through their last three games, the Lightning have a record of 3-0. In addition, their puck line record over this stretch is 3-0 while posting a 2-1 over-under mark.
• Through their last ten regular season contests, Tampa Bay has a record of 7-3. This includes going 8-2 vs. the puck line along with an over-under mark of 6-3-1.

Check out the latest insights in NHL Conference Odds & Predictions!

The Lean

If you’re looking for a moneyline bet in this one, we have the Lightning coming out on top. However, with the lines sitting at -211, I’d recommend looking to the puck line as our projections have the Lightning winning by more than one goal.

When making a puck line pick, we’re backing the Lightning to win and cover. Watch for the Lightning to win this game by multiple goals over the Blues.

If you’re looking at the over/under line set at 6 goals, our prediction is that this game will exceed that mark, and we strongly advise placing a bet on the over.