Game Preview: St. Louis Blues @ Boston Bruins
Jim Montgomery returns to TD Garden as the St. Louis Blues face the Boston Bruins on Thursday night. After a turbulent 2024–25 campaign in Boston, Montgomery now leads a Blues team sitting at 9-11-7, while the Bruins enter at 15-13-0 after a tight loss in Detroit. St. Louis opened as a narrow road favorite, with the total set at 5.5 based on recent scoring droughts from both clubs. With both teams battling injuries and inconsistency, this marks a meaningful interconference matchup as each looks to stabilize positioning before midseason. Fans tracking league dynamics can compare this matchup with others across the NHL preview slate for additional context.
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Odds and Key Information
Early markets positioned St. Louis around -135 on the moneyline, driven by goaltending consistency and Boston’s eroding defensive depth. Boston drew modest early interest at plus money due to its strong hit and block metrics, yet the total held firm at 5.5 in line with St. Louis’ low-scoring profile. Public bettors leaned slightly toward the home underdog, while sharper movement favored the Blues in a possession-weighted matchup.
Montgomery reflected on returning to Boston with mixed emotions, acknowledging both the success and the challenging exit. Marco Sturm stressed that Boston’s recent injuries have created rotational strain, particularly on the blue line, and that maintaining structure is critical after chasing the Red Wings from multiple deficits.
St. Louis Outlook
St. Louis continues to wrestle with offensive inconsistency, scoring two or fewer goals in eight of its past nine games. Jordan Kyrou remains the primary spark, generating pace and transition threat, though zone-possession time has dipped in recent weeks. The physical identity remains intact, ranking among the league’s top teams in hits and blocks, but the Blues’ inability to create multi-chance sequences has kept scoring pressure low.
The power play’s 14 goals place the unit in a competitive tier, giving St. Louis a path to tilt special-teams battles. Jordan Binnington’s abbreviated start against Anaheim was more situational than performance-driven, and internal communication with Montgomery quickly reset expectations. The larger concern lies in mounting injuries: Jimmy Snuggerud, Nathan Walker, and Alexey Toropchenko remain unavailable. The team’s official availability can be monitored through the St. Louis Blues injury report.
For St. Louis to take control, it must force Boston into extended defensive shifts and prevent the Bruins’ heavy cycle from dictating the tempo.
Boston Outlook
Boston’s 5-4 loss against Detroit highlighted recurring issues: injuries to core players, short-handed blue-line rotations, and inconsistent five-on-five structure. David Pastrnak’s absence significantly alters Boston’s scoring ceiling, while the defense has leaned heavily on Hampus Lindholm, who posted three assists in the Detroit matchup. Morgan Geekie’s recent playmaking and Jonathan Aspirot’s first NHL goal reflect needed depth contributions.
The Bruins lead the league in blocks and rank near the top in hits, reinforcing a physical presence despite roster attrition. However, Sturm emphasized that the team cannot rely on late-game pushes to recover from slow starts. With Michael Callahan questionable and Frederic Brunet or Victor Soderstrom likely to be recalled, defensive cohesion will again be tested. Player availability updates are accessible through the Boston Bruins injury report.
Boston’s home-ice edge and shot-volume generation remain assets, but lineup gaps continue to narrow their margin for error.
Key Matchup Table
Key FactorAdvantageGoaltending ReliabilitySt. LouisBlue-Line DepthSt. LouisShot CreationBostonPhysical ProfileBostonSpecial Teams ImpactSt. Louis
Betting Trends
St. Louis has thrived on the puckline as an underdog, covering 75 percent in that role while trending strongly toward unders due to limited scoring. Boston has hit overs at a moderate clip because defensive absences have led to higher event totals despite conservative tendencies. The Bruins’ puckline success as underdogs signals competitive fight even when short-handed. With no recent head-to-head matchups, historical data provides limited predictive value.
For broader betting context and league-wide comparisons, bettors can reference updated odds at the NHL board:
NHL Scores & Odds
The Lean
St. Louis’ relative lineup stability and power-play consistency create a narrow edge, particularly against a Boston team stretched thin defensively. Boston’s home environment should keep the game competitive, but its diminished top-six scoring and blue-line injuries put added pressure on Lindholm and Geekie to drive production. Model outputs favor a controlled, low-event contest.
Projected Score: St. Louis 3, Boston 2
Best Bet: Blues ML
Total Lean: Under 5.5
For more breakdowns and situational reads across the nightly slate, see the NHL preview archive: NHL Previews
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Projected Final Score: St. Louis 3, Boston 2
Best Spread Pick: Blues ML
Total Lean: Under 5.5