St. Louis Blues vs New York Rangers Picks and Predictions December 15th 2024

St. Louis Blues vs New York Rangers December 15th 2024

Planning on watching today’s Rangers and Blues game? Catch the action at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, MO, as the Blues hosts this showdown at 6:00 ET on ESPN+. In this non-conference matchup, the Rangers are favored by -1.5 vs. the Blues. The over/under for the game is 6 goals.

New York vs. St. Louis Key Information

• Teams: Rangers at Blues
• Where: Enterprise Center St. Louis
• Date: Sunday, December 15th
• Betting Odds NYR -146 | STL +123 O/U 6

The Rangers Can Win If…

The Rangers moved above .500 with a 5-2 win over the Islanders, bringing their record to 15-13-1. As -1.5 goal favorites, New York covered the puck line, and the total of 7 goals surpassed the pre-game line of 6.

Four different Rangers found the net, with Artemi Panarin leading the way with two goals. New York built a 2-0 lead before the Islanders narrowed the gap, but the Rangers pulled away with two unanswered goals in the third period.

Artemi Panarin netted his 9th goal of the season on an empty net and added his 8th earlier on a power play. Chris Kreider opened the scoring with his 8th goal, which came shorthanded. Vincent Trocheck followed with his 4th goal, while Adam Edstrom scored his first of the season.

The Rangers fired 40 shots on goal and recorded 14 giveaways. Mika Zibanejad contributed with his 7th and 8th assists, while Adam Fox picked up his 9th assist on Panarin’s power-play goal.

Defensively, the Rangers will look to carry the momentum from their previous game, where they allowed just two goals to the Islanders. Igor Shesterkin made 35 saves, posting a 94.6% save percentage. The Rangers’ defense also contributed 10 takeaways, 19 hits, and 18 blocks.

• Over their last three regular season games, the Rangers have gone 1-2 straight up. In these contests, the team went just 0-3 against the spread, while going 1-2 on the over-under.
• Through their last ten regular season contests, New York has a record of 3-7. The team’s record vs the puck line was just 2-8, in addition to an over-under mark of 5-5.

The Blues Can Win If…

The Blues evened their record at 14-14-3 with a 4-2 win over the Maple Leafs. As +1.5 goal underdogs, St. Louis not only covered the puck line but won outright. The total was set at 6 goals, and the combined score matched that number.

St. Louis fell behind in the first period, but Colton Parayko tied it up at 16:31 in the second. The Blues added two more goals before the Maple Leafs scored again. Pavel Buchnevich sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 19:21 in the third period.

Colton Parayko led the Blues with two goals in their 4-2 win over the Maple Leafs, bringing his season total to three. He also added his fifth assist on Pavel Buchnevich’s empty-net goal, which was Buchnevich’s fourth of the season. Parayko scored on both of his shots on goal.

After a scoreless first period, the Blues netted three goals in the second. Jordan Kyrou, who now has three goals this season, scored the second goal for St. Louis. The Blues took 24 shots on goal and recorded 14 giveaways.

Defensively, the Blues gave up the first goal at 5:25 in the first period and another late in the third, but they held the Maple Leafs scoreless for a crucial stretch between those two goals. Jordan Binnington made 35 saves with a 94.6% save percentage, and the defense contributed 3 takeaways and 17 hits.

• Across St. Louis’s last three regular season games, their record sits at 1-2. This also includes going 2-1 ATS, and posting an over-under record of 2-1.
• The Blues have gone 5-5 over their last ten regular season games. Against the spread, St. Louis went 6-4 in these games and finished with an over-under mark of 4-6.

The Lean

For a moneyline pick, I’m taking the Blues to pick up on a win over the Rangers at home. With the moneyline sitting at +123, I’ll be locking in a bet on the Blues straight-up.

If you’re looking to get a bet down on this matchup, we foresee the Blues winning the underdog. However, if you’re not as confident in the Blues straight-up, we’d still recommend placing a bet on them to cover the puck line.

For those looking at the over/under line set at 6 goals, our expectation is that this game will surpass that mark, and we suggest making a bet on the over.

Blues Aim to Build Momentum Against Slumping Rangers

The St. Louis Blues (13-9-3) welcome the New York Rangers (14-11-4) on Sunday night, seeking to balance a retooling effort with staying competitive in the playoff race. Recent moves by both teams highlight their contrasting directions, as the Blues bring in veteran leadership while the Rangers struggle to regain form.

St. Louis Adds Veteran Stability

Blues general manager Doug Armstrong made a significant move by acquiring defenseman Cam Fowler from the Anaheim Ducks. The veteran blueliner is expected to help stabilize a St. Louis defense corps depleted by injuries to Torey Krug (ankle surgery) and Nick Leddy (lower body). Fowler, 33, made his debut Saturday in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars, logging 17:57 of ice time alongside Justin Faulk.

Head coach Jim Montgomery, who has guided the team to a 5-2-2 record since replacing Drew Bannister, praised Fowler’s immediate impact:
“You can never have enough good defensemen … it’s just good to have someone who can eat minutes and take pressure off the top four.”

The Blues remain focused on development while staying competitive. Armstrong emphasized the importance of playoff-caliber games for younger players like Jake Neighbours and Joel Hofer.

Rangers’ Struggles Continue

The New York Rangers arrive in St. Louis amid a rough stretch, having lost nine of their past 12 games, including a 5-1 blowout defeat to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. The loss followed a dispiriting 5-2 defeat to the Blues on Nov. 25, a game where St. Louis netminder Joel Hofer made 27 saves and Jake Neighbours shone with two goals.

Rangers coach Peter Laviolette faces mounting pressure as his team searches for answers. Center Mika Zibanejad summed up the team’s mindset after Saturday’s loss:
“We have to understand that it’s going to take a lot more than what we did (on Saturday) to get out of this. It’s unacceptable.”

New York has also dealt with injuries, including defenseman K’Andre Miller, who is on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. Connor Mackey stepped into the lineup Saturday, logging 15:58 in his season debut.

Goaltender Jonathan Quick may start Sunday after Igor Shesterkin allowed five goals on 21 shots against the Kings.

Key Players to Watch

St. Louis Blues:

• Cam Fowler: The veteran defenseman will look to make a greater impact in his second game with the team.
• Joel Hofer: Expected to start in goal, Hofer is coming off a strong performance in the teams’ previous meeting.
• Jake Neighbours: The young forward continues to develop and is fresh off a two-goal outing against the Rangers last month.

New York Rangers:

• Mika Zibanejad: The veteran center must step up to spark an offense that has struggled in recent games.
• Jonathan Quick: Likely to start, Quick needs a strong performance to steady the Rangers’ back end.
• Vincent Trocheck: A leader on and off the ice, Trocheck will aim to reignite New York’s energy.

Keys to the Game

St. Louis Blues:

• Defensive Cohesion: Incorporate Fowler seamlessly into the lineup to bolster the back end.
• Capitalize on Chances: Exploit the Rangers’ defensive lapses and shaky goaltending.
• Support Young Talent: Create opportunities for emerging players like Bolduc and Neighbours to thrive.

New York Rangers:

• Tighten Defense: Limit turnovers and improve coverage to avoid a repeat of recent struggles.
• Generate Offense: Create sustained pressure and finish scoring opportunities to support their goaltender.
• Bounce Back: Bring urgency and energy to rebound from a lackluster effort against Los Angeles.

Join now for exclusive updates—register here!

Matchup Outlook

The Blues are poised to continue their upward trajectory with a mix of veteran leadership and youthful energy. Meanwhile, the Rangers are desperate to reverse their slump and rediscover the form that made them early playoff contenders.

With St. Louis coming off an encouraging performance in Dallas and New York reeling from a tough loss, Sunday’s clash offers a pivotal moment for both teams. Expect a competitive matchup as the Blues aim to build for the future and the Rangers fight to stay afloat in the standings.