Blues vs. Canucks Odds, Preview, Prediction: Back Vancouver to Down St. Louis in NHL Clash (Jan. 23)
Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images. Pictured: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Jaroslav Halak.
- Vancouver plays on home ice Sunday night against the Blues.
- St. Louis has scored five goals in three straight games, but can we expect that against the Canucks?
- Grant White breaks down the game and gives his top pick, below.
Blues vs. Canucks Odds
| Blues Odds | -150 |
| Canucks Odds | +130 |
| Over/Under | 5.5 |
| Time | 10 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN+ |
| Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
The St. Louis Blues continue their three-game road trip Sunday against the Vancouver Canucks. Things started on the right foot, with the Blues shutting out the Seattle Kraken, 5-0, in Friday’s NHL action.
They'll face a more sincere challenge from the Canucks, who have been one of the best teams in the league since their coaching change.
St. Louis Blues
Friday night's contest was the first time in five games the Blues posted an expected goals-for percentage above 50.0%, but it was the third consecutive game they scored five goals.
That's analogous to a more significant trend, as St. Louis continues to get outplayed and is overachieving relative to their production metrics. And both suggest the Blues are due for correction.
St. Louis has moved up the standings, going 7-3-0 over their past 10 games despite its metrics working against them. St. Louis has been outplayed in seven of those contests, with a cumulative 45.8% expected goals-for rating. That number has been brought down by some questionable offensive metrics the Blues continue to exceed.
At 5-on-5, St. Louis has attempted more than nine high-danger chances just once over the past 10 games. They’re also putting up diminished shots, attempting 28.9 per game over that sample, but scoring is trending up, with the Blues scoring 3.9 goals per game.
That has resulted in a 13.5% shooting percentage, elevating their season-long PDO to 1.029, the highest in the league. Any way you slice the Blues’ metrics, they're pointed toward regression.
Vancouver Canucks
A change in locker room voice made all the difference for the Canucks. Vancouver has gone 10-3-2 since Bruce Boudreau took over, and their metrics support more wins should start to pile up for the franchise.
So far this month, the Canucks have outplayed five of their seven opponents. What's been most impressive about this stretch is that six of those games came on the road, and the two games that Vancouver was outplayed, they still managed game scores of 48.9% and 49.2%. That contributes to a seven-game expected goals-for rating of 55.4% at 5-on-5 action.
The Canucks have been particularly staunch at home under Boudreau. In six home games, Vancouver has allowed seven or fewer high-danger chances, and 22 or fewer scoring chances in four of them. That rock-solid defensive zone coverage could help the Blues fall back toward normal ranges.
Blues vs. Canucks Pick
Vancouver limited the Florida to six quality opportunities and one goal last time out. We've seen the Canucks thrive over the past seven weeks, and we're expecting more of the same in this game.
The Blues can't continue to get outplayed and win games, while their opponents have been effective at limiting their opponents under the new regime.
The fall from grace for St. Louis starts against Vancouver in this showdown.
Pick: Vancouver (+130)
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