LiontipsSan Jose vs St. Louis NHL Match Preview and Betting Odds
Command Analysis
Current Form
San Jose was the worst team in the league last season, allowing 331 goals over 82 games. The California franchise secured the first overall pick and unsurprisingly selected the talented Macklin Celebrini, who will be the cornerstone of the franchise. The Sharks have re-signed goalie Aaron Dell and added Yaroslav Yaskarov. Over the summer, Ryan Carpenter, Alexander Barabanov, Filip Zadina, Kevin LaBanc, and Mike Hoffman departed, significantly weakening the roster.
This fall, under the guidance of Ryan Warkowski, the team played three matches against Anaheim (3-4, 3-2 OT, and 2-3 OT), exchanged away victories with Vegas (2-4 and 6-5), and lost to expansion team Salt Lake at home (1-3). In only one of the six games did San Jose not concede at least three goals, highlighting ongoing defensive issues for the hosts.
Injuries and Suspensions
Thomas Bordeleau, Lukas Karlsson, Logan Couture, and Marc-Edouard Vlasic will miss the game against St. Louis due to injury. Giavani Smith's participation is uncertain.
Interesting Betting Trends
- San Jose has allowed opponents to take 34 shots on goal this fall
The Sharks continue to struggle defensively, unable to cope with the attacking pressure from opponents.
- The Sharks averaged eight minutes in penalties during the preseason
The hosts were not frequently penalized in the preseason, but this had little impact on their defensive performance.
Current Form
The St. Louis Blues missed the playoffs in last year's Stanley Cup, finishing the regular season ninth in the Western Conference standings. Over the summer, they made several strategic acquisitions including Alexandre Texier, Ryan Suter, Dylan Holloway, and Philip Broberg. The Blues streamlined their payroll by trading away Jakub Vrana, Sammy Blais, Adam Gaudette, and Kevin Hayes.
The Blues began their road trip a couple of days ago, facing the Seattle Kraken and winning 3-2. In the second period, under coach Drew Bannister, they conceded two goals within two minutes but quickly responded by scoring three times in the same duration, regaining momentum before the end of the second period. Jordan Binnington held strong, ensuring the victory for the Blues.
Injuries and Disqualifications
Adam Giricek, Torey Krug, Brandon Saad, and Oscar Sundqvist will be unavailable for their team in California.
Interesting Betting Trends
- The Missouri team registered 25 shots in their season opener
The Blues didn't generate many shots on Kraken's net but managed to convert 12% of their attempts.
- The Braden Schenn-led team won 56.3% of faceoffs in their opening match
St. Louis centers showcased their skills in the first game of the regular season, winning a significant number of faceoff battles.
Trends
Bet 1st Period: Total Under 1.5 Goals
In three matchups last season, the first periods produced no goals between these teams
2.00Bet 1st Period: San Jose Won't Score
In three out of four games, the Sharks failed to score in the first period
2.05Tip and bets
"St. Louis has already demonstrated its will to win in the first game of the season. The Blues lost several key offensive players during the offseason, yet the roster still includes strong scorers. San Jose has made improvements in their attack, but their defensive issues remain unresolved. Throughout the preseason, the Sharks struggled defensively, allowing numerous goals while failing to convert opportunities effectively. In the last seven matchups in California, the Blues have secured five victories. We believe Braden Schenn's team can achieve this once again. We recommend a bet on the Blues to win the match.
Our prediction is a St. Louis victory at 1.60
Total Bet
It's hard to categorize St. Louis as a high-scoring team that aggressively pushes forward throughout the game. The Blues prefer a defensive style and are unlikely to allow the hosts many scoring opportunities. At the same time, we don't anticipate the Sharks’ defense breaking down under the Blues’ attack. We expect a tightly contested match and will place a bet on the total being under.
Prediction - total under six goals at 1.75
First Period Total Bet
San Jose has typically approached its games very cautiously even during the preseason, rarely showcasing high-scoring first periods. The same goes for St. Louis, which managed to keep two out of three periods scoreless in their first match of the season. We don't expect either team to score more than one goal in the first period.
Prediction - total over 1.5 goals in the first period at 2.00
